title: Body attitudes and objectification in non-suicidal self-injury: comparing males and females.
abstract: The authors evaluated the theoretical suggestion that self-objectification, negative body attitudes, and body-image avoidant behaviors are associated with non-suicidal self-injury among both males and females. A sample of 365 male and female (82.4% reporting female) undergraduate students (26.5% reporting NSSI) from a variety of academic disciplines completed a secure on-line survey assessing objectification, body image related variables, and history of NSSI. Participants reporting a history of NSSI endorsed significantly more body-related disturbances than participants reporting no history of NSSI. Males reporting a history of NSSI scored similarly to females both with and without a history of NSSI, and only differed from males without a history of NSSI on self-objectification. Theoretical models proposing body objectification and attitudes are important to understanding etiological risks for NSSI have merit. Additional research on these potential risk factors is needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, USA.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: Jennifer J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Muehlenkamp
mesh_terms: D001828:Body Image; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012649:Self Concept; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult