title: Adolescent nonsuicidal self-injury: examining the role of child abuse, comorbidity, and disinhibition.
abstract: The purpose of the study is to examine how several well-known correlates of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) might work together to contribute to the occurrence of this behavior. Specifically, we examined models including child abuse, psychiatric comorbidity, and disinhibition, testing how these factors may work together to lead to NSSI in the past month. Participants (n=194; 144 female; age 13-18 years) were recruited from a short-term, acute adolescent residential unit. Within 48 hours of admission to the hospital participants completed structured clinical interviews assessing mental disorders and patterns of NSSI. Following the interviews, participants completed a self-report questionnaire assessing childhood abuse and a computerized continuous performance task. Consistent with study hypotheses, results revealed that the association between child abuse and NSSI is partially mediated by comorbidity. Although disinhibition is associated with comorbidity, contrary to our hypothesis, disinhibition does not mediate the relation between child abuse and NSSI. Collectively, these findings provide new information about how comorbidity may increase risk for NSSI, and critically, discuss the potential importance of creating targeted programs to reduce the prevalence of child abuse.
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School - McLean Hospital, Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, Child and Adolescent Mood Disorders Laboratory, 115 Mill Street, de Marneffe, Room 240, Belmont, MA 02478, USA. Electronic address: rauerbach@mclean.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Randy P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Auerbach
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School - McLean Hospital, Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, Child and Adolescent Mood Disorders Laboratory, 115 Mill Street, de Marneffe, Room 240, Belmont, MA 02478, USA.
authors.forename: Judy C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School - McLean Hospital, Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, Child and Adolescent Mood Disorders Laboratory, 115 Mill Street, de Marneffe, Room 240, Belmont, MA 02478, USA.
authors.forename: Joanna M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Chango
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School - McLean Hospital, Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, Child and Adolescent Mood Disorders Laboratory, 115 Mill Street, de Marneffe, Room 240, Belmont, MA 02478, USA.
authors.forename: Westley J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Spiro
authors.affiliation: Harvard University, Department of Psychology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cha
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School - McLean Hospital, Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, Child and Adolescent Mood Disorders Laboratory, 115 Mill Street, de Marneffe, Room 240, Belmont, MA 02478, USA.
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gold
authors.affiliation: Neuroimaging Research Center for Veterans 151, Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Esterman
authors.affiliation: Harvard University, Department of Psychology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Nock
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D057566:Self Report; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Child abuse; Comorbidity; Disinhibition; Impulsivity; Nonsuicidal self-injury
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