Non-Suicidal Self Injury, Psychopathology and Attachment: A Study with University Students

2014 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cátia Braga ◽  
Sónia Gonçalves
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Attachment Theory ◽  
Emotional Regulation ◽  
Community Sample ◽  
Romantic Attachment ◽  
Brief Symptom Inventory ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Self Injury ◽  
Antecedents And Consequences ◽  
Regulation Model

AbstractConducted with a community sample, this study first tested the hypothesis that the constant association of Non-Suicidal Self Injury (NSSI) with various psychopathological states may be overrepresented because many of the studies reporting these associations used clinical samples. Secondly, the study aimed to test the emotional regulation model of NSSI by exploring the functions, the affective antecedents and consequences of NSSI episodes and to understand this emotion regulation role of NSSI in the light of Attachment Theory by differentiating self-injurers and non-self-injurers on relevant romantic attachment dimensions. A third purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that individuals currently performing NSSI could be differentiated on these dimensions from those who had ceased engaging in NSSI. Pursuing these purposes, 518 university students (171 males and 347 females), aged 17 to 62 years old completed the Self-Injury Questionnaire – Treatment Related (Claes & Vandereycken, 2007), the Brief Symptom Inventory (Derogatis, 1982) and the Adult Attachment Scale (Collins & Read, 1990). Individuals with NSSI scored significantly higher on all BSI subscales (all p < .001). Results also revealed the existence of significant differences between participants with and without NSSI on Anxiety (Z = –2.92, p < .01) and Comfort with Proximity (Z = –3.18, p < .01), and significant differences between past self-injurers and current self-injurers on Trust in Others (Z = –2.40, p < .05). These results are discussed by linking NSSI and Attachment Theory literatures.

scholarly journals Alexithymia and Body Image in Saudi Arabian Females (University Students): Preliminary Data

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Muwafak H. Al-Eithan ◽  
Hend Alsulaiman ◽  
Iman M. Al-Eithan
Keyword(s):  
Body Image ◽  
University Students ◽  
Emotional Regulation ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Eating Problems ◽  
Psychological Variables ◽  
Body Image Scale ◽  
Poor Body Image

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Alexithymia has been the focus of much recent research in relation to emotional regulation and eating problems amongst psychological disorders. It is dealing with difficulties in processing, expressing, and awareness of emotion. Body image has also been researched, especially amongst women, and its relation emotion. <b><i>Objective:</i></b> The aim of this exploratory study is to examine the presence of alexithymia and how this is related to body image amongst a group of female Saudi University students. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> 152 Arabic female students from a local University participated in the study. The Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 (TAS-20 Arabic), the Therapeutic Alexithymia scale (PTA Scale) short scale, body image scale, and figure body image scale were all used in the study. <b><i>Results:</i></b> The results showed that there is significant correlation between TAS and body image scale. Further, results showed that body image scale is best predictor of alexithymia in regression analysis. <b><i>Discussion:</i></b> Alexithymia has not been studied in university students in KSA. We also explored its relationship to body image and found there is a significant correlation. Alexithymia is present and needs much research in this sample and beyond, in both clinical and non-clinical groups. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> This is the first study in an Arabic population to show the alexithymia is prevalent amongst this sample and it is significantly related to poor body image. Further studies are suggested to explore further psychological variables related to body image and eating problems, as well as on clinical samples is indicated.

Linking Romantic Attachment and Self-Injury: The Roles of the Behavioural Systems

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela Caron ◽  
Marie-France Lafontaine ◽  
Jean-François Bureau
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Young Adult ◽  
Attachment Theory ◽  
Sexual Satisfaction ◽  
Romantic Attachment ◽  
Attachment Anxiety ◽  
Interconnected Systems ◽  
Sexual Systems ◽  
Self Injury ◽  
Study Results

Attachment theory is considered an explanatory framework for understanding non-suicidal self-injury. Despite theoretical postulations, few studies have examined links between romantic attachment and its interconnected systems (the caregiving and sexual systems) and self-injury. This study investigated whether self-injurious thoughts and behaviours could be predicted by the functioning of the three systems. Two-hundred and sixty-three young adults participated in the study. Results revealed that participants endorsing self-injurious thoughts experience greater attachment anxiety and avoidance, controlling and compulsive romantic caregiving behaviours, and lower sexual satisfaction than participants with no thoughts. Conversely, findings indicate that the behavioural systems did not predict self-injurious behaviours. Such findings suggest that dimensions of the three interrelated behavioural systems hold unique roles in understanding young adult self-injurious thoughts, and that the constructs that predict self-injurious thoughts may differ from those that predict self-injurious behaviours.

scholarly journals Behavioral measures of impulsivity and compulsivity in adolescents with nonsuicidal self-injury

CNS Spectrums ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Nina M. Lutz ◽  
Samuel R. Chamberlain ◽  
Ian M. Goodyer ◽  
Anupam Bhardwaj ◽  
Barbara J. Sahakian ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Negative Binomial ◽  
Community Sample ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Gambling Task ◽  
Reversal Task ◽  
Behavioral Measures ◽  
Self Injury ◽  
Neurocognitive Measures ◽  
Nonsuicidal Self Injury

Abstract Background Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is prevalent among adolescents and research is needed to clarify the mechanisms which contribute to the behavior. Here, the authors relate behavioral neurocognitive measures of impulsivity and compulsivity to repetitive and sporadic NSSI in a community sample of adolescents. Methods Computerized laboratory tasks (Affective Go/No-Go, Cambridge Gambling Task, and Probabilistic Reversal Task) were used to evaluate cognitive performance. Participants were adolescents aged 15 to 17 with (n = 50) and without (n = 190) NSSI history, sampled from the ROOTS project which recruited adolescents from secondary schools in Cambridgeshire, UK. NSSI was categorized as sporadic (1-3 instances per year) or repetitive (4 or more instances per year). Analyses were carried out in a series of linear and negative binomial regressions, controlling for age, gender, intelligence, and recent depressive symptoms. Results Adolescents with lifetime NSSI, and repetitive NSSI specifically, made significantly more perseverative errors on the Probabilistic Reversal Task and exhibited significantly lower quality of decision making on the Cambridge Gambling Task compared to no-NSSI controls. Those with sporadic NSSI did not significantly differ from no-NSSI controls on task performance. NSSI was not associated with behavioral measures of impulsivity. Conclusions Repetitive NSSI is associated with increased behavioral compulsivity and disadvantageous decision making, but not with behavioral impulsivity. Future research should continue to investigate how neurocognitive phenotypes contribute to the onset and maintenance of NSSI, and determine whether compulsivity and addictive features of NSSI are potential targets for treatment.

scholarly journals Emotional Cognitive Regulation in University Students during Lockdown: A Comparative Analysis of Students from Spanish Universities

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 6946
Author(s):  
Mercedes Cuevas López ◽  
Inmaculada Ávalos Ruiz ◽  
Emilio Jesús Lizarte Simón
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
University Students ◽  
Emotional Regulation ◽  
Adaptive Strategies ◽  
The Other ◽  
Housing Conditions ◽  
Gran Canaria ◽  
Self Blame ◽  
Cognitive Regulation ◽  
Spanish Universities

Studies focusing on strategies for the cognitive regulation of emotions are gaining importance due to the development and perpetuation of psychopathologies. The obligatory home confinement imposed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic has led to new virtual learning methodologies. Objective: Our objective aimed to analyze and compare the cognitive emotional regulation of students from universities on the Spanish mainland with that of students attending the Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Methods: An online Emotional Regulation Questionnaire was applied, together with a survey covering the students’ beliefs about the pandemic, including information about their housing conditions and beliefs about online learning. The study included a sample of 1030 university students. Results: On the mainland and at Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the students most frequently used adaptive strategies. Three of the strategies were used in both groups but to different extents (Acceptance, Positive reappraisal, Putting into perspective), while the other strategies were used in both groups to the same extent (Refocusing on planning, Positive refocusing, Rumination, Blaming others, Catastrophizing, Self-blame). Meanwhile, the results were quite similar regarding the students’ housing conditions and beliefs about the pandemic and online learning.

scholarly journals Do Distinct Groups of Reactively and Proactively Aggressive Children Exist? A Confirmatory Latent Profile Approach

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anouk van Dijk ◽  
Julie A. Hubbard ◽  
Peter K. H. Deschamps ◽  
Wieteke Hiemstra ◽  
Hanneke Polman
Keyword(s):  
Aggressive Behavior ◽  
Community Sample ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Social Emotional ◽  
Latent Profile Analyses ◽  
Three Samples ◽  
Aggressive Children ◽  
Profile Approach ◽  
Best Fit ◽  
Latent Profile

AbstractThe present study examined whether there are distinct groups of children with reactive versus proactive motives for their aggressive behavior. We extended previous research by using a person-based analytical approach on data from a questionnaire assessing children’s motives independently from the severity of their aggression. Two competing hypotheses were tested. The both subtypes hypothesis holds that both reactive and proactive subtypes exist, as well as a mixed subtype. The reactive only hypothesis holds that only reactive and mixed subtypes exist. Hypotheses were tested on existing data from a community sample of children displaying aggression (Study 1: n = 228, ages 10–13, 54% boys), and two clinical samples of children with aggressive behavior problems (Study 2: n = 115, ages 8–13, 100% boys; Study 3: n = 123, ages 6–8, 78% boys). Teachers reported on children’s reactive and proactive motives. We selected measures available from peers, parents, teachers, and children themselves to compare the supported subtypes on variables that previous literature suggests uniquely correlate with reactive versus proactive aggression. Confirmatory latent profile analyses revealed that the both subtypes hypothesis best fit the data of all three samples. Most children were classified as reactive (55.7–61.8% across samples), with smaller percentages classified as proactive (10.4–24.1%) and mixed (18.0–33.9%). However, these subtypes only differed in expected directions on 7 out of 34 measures. Overall, results support the existence of both reactive and proactive subtypes of aggressive children, but the distinctiveness of these subtypes in terms of social-emotional characteristics warrants further study.

Correlates of disclosure of non-suicidal self-injury amongst Australian university students

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sylvanna Mirichlis ◽  
Penelope Hasking ◽  
Stephen P. Lewis ◽  
Mark E. Boyes
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Online Surveys ◽  
Self Advocacy ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Self Injury ◽  
Perceived Impact

Purpose Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is associated with psychological disorders and suicidal thoughts and behaviours; disclosure of NSSI can serve as a catalyst for help-seeking and self-advocacy amongst people who have self-injured. This study aims to identify the socio-demographic, NSSI-related, socio-cognitive and socio-emotional correlates of NSSI disclosure. Given elevated rates of NSSI amongst university students, this study aimed to investigate these factors amongst this population. Design/methodology/approach Australian university students (n = 573) completed online surveys; 80.2% had previously disclosed self-injury. Findings NSSI disclosure was associated with having a mental illness diagnosis, intrapersonal NSSI functions, specifically marking distress and anti-dissociation, having physical scars from NSSI, greater perceived impact of NSSI, less expectation that NSSI would result in communication and greater social support from friends and significant others. Originality/value Expanding on previous works in the area, this study incorporated cognitions about NSSI. The ways in which individuals think about the noticeability and impact of their NSSI, and the potential to gain support, are associated with the decision to disclose self-injury. Addressing the way individuals with lived experience consolidate these considerations could facilitate their agency in whether to disclose their NSSI and highlight considerations for health-care professionals working with clients who have lived experience of NSSI.

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