Maryam Gholamrezaei, PhD, C.Psych, from Toronto, Canada, discusses self-injury and help-seeking among ethnically diverse populations and shares cultural insights into reasons for self-harm among individuals in the Middle East. Season 4 | Episode 54 Podcast/ Season 4 | Episode 54 Self-Injury Among Ethnically Diverse Populations Oct 25, 2024 Dr. Maryam Gholamrezaei Self-Injury Among Ethnically Diverse Populations Dr. Maryam Gholamrezaei 00:00 / 01:04 In this episode, Maryam Gholamrezaei, PhD, C.Psych, shares about her interviews with racially and ethnically diverse individuals who self-injure, including their responses to her question, “In your culture, what is the general response to people who engage in self-harming behaviors?” She also discusses gender differences in nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) among different ethnic groups and offers unique insights into how the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East may influence an individual's decision to self-harm. Learn more about Dr. Gholamrezaei on her website at https://drmaryamgholamrezaei.ca/ . Below are some publications written by Dr. Gholamrezaei as well as Dr. Westers' editorial: Gholamrezaei, M., Heath, N. L., Pereira, L., De Stefano, J., & Böke, B. N. (2023). Nonsuicidal self-injury, mental health service use, and cultural perspectives among ethnically diverse university students . Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health, 42 (1), 15-40. Gholamrezaei, M., De Stefano, J., & Heath, N. L. (2017). Nonsuicidal self-injury across cultures and ethnic and racial minorities: A review . International Journal of Psychology, 52 (4), 316–326. Gholamrezaei, M., Heath, N., & Panaghi, L. (2016). Non-suicidal self-injury in a sample of university students in Tehran, Iran: prevalence, characteristics and risk factors . International Journal of Culture and Mental Health , 10 (2), 136–149. Westers, N. J. (2024). Cultural interpretations of nonsuicidal self-injury and suicide: Insights from around the world . Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 29 (4), 1231-1235. Previous Next

Jonas Bjärehed, PhD, from Lund University in Sweden compares rates of self-injury and self-harm among youth from 2007 to 2023. Season 4 | Episode 47 Podcast/ Season 4 | Episode 47 Do Youth Self-Injure More Now Than 15 Years Ago? Mar 29, 2024 with Dr. Jonas Bjärehed Do Youth Self-Injure More Now Than 15 Years Ago? with Dr. Jonas Bjärehed 00:00 / 01:04 In this episode, Dr. Jonas Bjärehed from Lund University in Sweden walks us through his research on nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) that he began in 2007 as part of his dissertation project. For example, he shares high prevalence rates of NSSI in Sweden (~40%) and discusses gender differences of NSSI among adolescents in 2007 compared to 2023. He also explains the results of a 10-year longitudinal study in which he surveyed individuals as adolescents about their self-harm and then surveyed the same group as adults 10 years later. Learn more about Dr. Bjärehed's research here and connect with him on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/jonasbjarehed . Below are a couple of his publications along with a couple papers on " phubbing ." Wångby-Lundh, M., Lundh L.-G., Claréus, B., Bjärehed, J.,& Daukantaitė, D. (2023). Developmental pathways of repetitive nonsuicidal self-injury: predictors in adolescence and psychological outcomes in young adulthood . Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 17 (1), 116. Daukantaitė, D., Lundh, L.-G., Wångby-Lundh, M., Claréus, B., Bjärehed, J., Zhou, Y., & Liljedahl, S. I. (2021). What happens to young adults who have engaged in self-injurious behavior as adolescents? A 10-year follow-up . European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 30 (3), 475–492. Liu, S., Wu, P., Han, X., Wang, M., Kan, Y., Qin, K., & Lan, J. (2024). Mom, dad, put down your phone and talk to me: how parental phubbing influences problematic internet use among adolescents . BMC Psychology, 12 , 125. Lv, H., Ye, W., Chen, S., Zhang, H., & Wang, R. (2022). The effect of mother phubbing on young children’s emotional and behavioral problems: A moderated mediation model of mother–child attachment and parenting stress . International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19 , 16911. Previous Next

Jessica Garisch, PhD, from Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand, gives a sneak peek into how she addresses self-injury and self-harm in therapy sessions with youth and their parents. Season 1 | Episode 16 Podcast/ Season 1 | Episode 16 If Your Child is in Therapy for Self-Injury Aug 6, 2021 with Dr. Jessica Garisch If Your Child is in Therapy for Self-Injury with Dr. Jessica Garisch 00:00 / 01:04 Many parents understandably want their child to stop self-injuring immediately, but cessation of self-injury is often a process and recurrence of episodes of self-injury can be expected, even when in therapy. In this episode, Dr. Jessica Garisch provides insight for parents about expectations for therapy and helping their child stop engaging in self-injury and self-harm. For instance, what do you do if your child does not seem to be putting forth effort in therapy? And if you are worried that your child may not be safe enough to go to camp or on vacation, should you keep them home? To learn more about Dr. Garisch and her work at Victoria University of Wellington, visit https://people.wgtn.ac.nz/jessica.garisch . To learn more about the Youth Wellbeing Study and its research team, visit https://youthwellbeingstudy.wordpress.com / . Follow Dr. Westers on Instagram and Twitter (@DocWesters). To join ISSS, visit itriples.org and follow ISSS on Facebook and Twitter (@ITripleS). The Psychology of Self-Injury podcast has been rated #5 by Feedspot in their " Top 15 Clinical Psychology Podcasts You Must Follow in 2021 " and by Welp Magazine in their " 20 Best Injury Podcasts of 2021 ." Previous Next

Kirsty from New Zealand shares her story of lived experience of self-injury and how her experiences inform her work in advocating for, and instilling hope in, others with similar stories of self-harm. Season 2 | Episode 30 Podcast/ Season 2 | Episode 30 Lived Experience: Kirsty's Story of Self-Injury & Advocacy Oct 28, 2022 Lived Experience: Kirsty's Story of Self-Injury & Advocacy 00:00 / 01:04 In this episode, Kirsty Moore details her experience of engaging in nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) beginning at age 14 and into her 30's. She discusses her training in psychology and how she integrates research on NSSI with her lived experience of self-harm as a form of advocacy when conducting workshops on NSSI for the community. Connect with Dr. Kirsty on Instagram at @dr_kirsty_coaching . Follow Dr. Westers on Instagram and Twitter (@DocWesters). To join ISSS, visit itriples.org and follow ISSS on Facebook and Twitter (@ITripleS). The Psychology of Self-Injury podcast has been rated #5 by Feedspot in their " Best 20 Clinical Psychology Podcasts " and by Welp Magazine in their " 20 Best Injury Podcasts ." Previous Next

Taylor Burke, PhD, from Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital discusses the psychological effects of scars resulting from self-injury and self-harm. Season 2 | Episode 31 Podcast/ Season 2 | Episode 31 The Psychology of Self-Injury Scarring Nov 25, 2022 with Dr. Taylor Burke The Psychology of Self-Injury Scarring with Dr. Taylor Burke 00:00 / 01:04 How are scars from nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) different than physical scars that are unintentional or result from non-self-inflicted wounds ? What psychological effects can result from daily reminders of one's own decision to self-harm? Is there an association between NSSI scars and suicidal thoughts and behaviors? In this episode, Dr. Burke discusses the mixed relationship that many people who self-injure have with the scars they bear from NSSI and how some may feel the need to hide their scars even from themselves. Learn more about Dr. Burke and her work by clicking here or visiting the Mood & Behavior Lab (MABL) at www.moodandbehaviorlab.org . Follow her on Twitter @TaylorABurkePhD . Below are some of her publications and papers referenced in this episode: Burke, T. A., Ammerman, B. A., Hamilton, J. L., Stange, J. P., & Piccirillo, M. (2020). Nonsuicidal self-injury scar concealment from the self and others . Journal of Psychiatric Research, 130 , 313-320. Burke, T. A., Olino, T. M., & Alloy, L. B. (2017). Initial psychometric validation of the nonsuicidal self-injury scar cognition scale . Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 39 , 546–562. Burke, T. A., Hamilton, J. L., Cohen, J. N., Stange, J. P., & Alloy, L. B. (2016). Identifying a physical indicator of suicide risk: non-suicidal self-injury scars predict suicidal ideation and suicide attempts . Comprehensive Psychiatry, 65 , 79–87. Bachtelle, S. E., & Pepper, C. M. (2015). The physical results of nonsuicidal self-injury: The meaning behind the scars . The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 203 (12), 927-933. Follow Dr. Westers on Instagram and Twitter (@DocWesters). To join ISSS, visit itriples.org and follow ISSS on Facebook and Twitter (@ITripleS). The Psychology of Self-Injury podcast has been rated #5 by Feedspot in their " Best 20 Clinical Psychology Podcasts " and by Welp Magazine in their " 20 Best Injury Podcasts ." Previous Next

Ruth Tatnell, PhD, from Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia describes how the COVID-19 pandemic and first lockdown affected rates of self-injury and self-harm. Season 3 | Episode 33 Podcast/ Season 3 | Episode 33 Did Self-Injury Increase During the COVID-19 Lockdown? Jan 27, 2023 with Dr. Ruth Tatnell Did Self-Injury Increase During the COVID-19 Lockdown? with Dr. Ruth Tatnell 00:00 / 01:04 Early in the pandemic there was a lot of talk about how the initial lockdown and stay-at-home orders would affect people’s mental health, including risk for suicide and nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). In this episode, Dr. Ruth Tatnell answers questions about the pandemic's effects on rates of self-injury: Did the initial lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic increase self-injury urges and behaviors like many people thought would happen? And do we know if self-harm has increased, decreased, or stayed the same since the first lockdown of the pandemic? Learn more about Dr. Tatnell and her work at Deakin University here , and connect with her on LinkedIn here . Below is her publication discussed in this month's episode as well as additional articles referenced in our interview: Tatnell, R., Terhaag, S., & Melvin, G. (2023). Covid-19 lockdown and non-suicidal self-injury: A Mixed methods analysis of NSSI during Australia's national lockdown . Archives of Suicide Research . Online ahead of print. Tanaka, T., & Okamoto, S. (2021). Increase in suicide following an initial decline during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan . Nature Human Behaviour, 5 (2), 229–238. Read about the Harvard Happiness Study published in The Atlantic here . Read about the Cigna loneliness study here and their tips for addressing loneliness here . Follow Dr. Westers on Instagram and Twitter (@DocWesters). To join ISSS, visit itriples.org and follow ISSS on Facebook and Twitter (@ITripleS). The Psychology of Self-Injury podcast has been rated #5 by Feedspot in their " Best 20 Clinical Psychology Podcasts " and by Welp Magazine in their " 20 Best Injury Podcasts ." Previous Next

Drs. Greg Lengel, Maria Zetterqvist, Amy Brausch, and Jason Washburn explain why they now advocate for nonsuicidal self-injury and self-harm to be considered a clinical specifier rather than a disorder in the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). Season 5 | Episode 64 Podcast/ Season 5 | Episode 64 DSM Update: Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Disorder, or a Clinical Specifier? Aug 29, 2025 DSM Update: Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Disorder, or a Clinical Specifier? 00:00 / 01:04 In this episode, four of the top experts in researching and treating nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) talk about the research behind NSSI Disorder, the evolution of how they now think about NSSI within the context of the DSM, and why they now advocate for an NSSI specifier rather than an NSSI Disorder in the DSM. They also delineate their proposed criteria for self-harm as a specifier and both the positive and negative consequences of doing so. Below are papers referenced in this episode: Lengel, G. J., Muehlenkamp, J. J., Zetterqvist, M., Ammerman, B. A., Brausch, A. M., & Washburn, J. J. (2025). Non-suicidal self-injury: proposal to shift designation from disorder to a clinical specifier . The Lancet Psychiatry . Online advanced publication. Shaffer, D., & Jacobson, C. (2009). Proposal to the DSM-V childhood disorder and mood disorder work groups to include non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) as a DSM-V disorder . American Psychiatric Association , 1-21. Muehlenkamp, J. J. (2005). Self-injurious behavior as a separate clinical syndrome . American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 75 (2), 324–333. Brausch, A. (2019). Diagnostic classification of nonsuicidal self-injury . In J. J. Washburn (Ed.), Nonsuicidal self-injury: Advances in research and practice (pp. 71-87). Routledge. NONSUICIDAL SELF-INJURY SPECIFIER (PROPOSED CRITERIA): A. The specifier should be used when the nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) behavior is characterized by the following: The individual intentionally engages in NSSI behavior to inflict bodily damage or pain The individual's NSSI behavior is recent, such that it occurred at least once during the past month The individual’s NSSI behavior is repetitive, such that it occurred on about 5 or more days in an individual’s lifetime Note: culturally specific NSSI behavior (e.g., piercings and tattoos) and harm that is habitual (e.g., scab picking, nail biting, and hair pulling) should not be considered to be NSSI unless the behavior is explicitly for the purposes of causing damage or pain to one’s body. The NSSI specifier can still be applied if the behavior occurs under the influence of substances, as long as the behavior meets the required features. Coding note: use code Z91.52 for individuals with a previous history of NSSI when all criteria except for recency are met (A2). Previous Next

About Self-Injury Treatments for Self-Injury Resources / About Self-Injury / Treatments for Self-Injury "It must be person-centred" "Treatment" and "recovery" can mean different things to different people. In general, "treatment" refers to physical (e.g., wound care) and psychological (e.g., DBT) interventions that help people who are self-injuring. Generally, the goal of psychological treatments is to reduce NSSI by targeting the thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that underlie an individual's self-injury. Until recently, few treatments were developed specifically for self-injury. Although there is currently no “gold-standard” treatment for self-injury, several treatments show promise in helping people decrease or stop these behaviors (Calvo et al., 2022; Turner et al., 2014), although the efficacy of treatments is still unclear (Fox et al., 2020). Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) DBT is a psychotherapeutic treatment designed to treat Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), of which NSSI is a common behaviour (Linehan, 1993). It was modified by Miller et al. (2007) to reduce NSSI and suicidality among adolescents, and has shown efficacy to reduce NSSI in multiple studies (Fleischhaker et al., 2011; Pistorello et al., 2012, Stanley et al., 2007). DBT is an intensive treatment lasting 6 months to 2 years and involves weekly individual therapy, group-based skills training, and between-session coaching. DBT integrates behavioral strategies (e.g., behavior analysis, problem-solving strategies, skills training in emotion regulation and interpersonal effectiveness, contingency management) with mindfulness (e.g., nonjudgmental, present-focused attention), and dialectical strategies (e.g., balancing acceptance and change) to reduce self-injury by: Improving emotion regulation Increasing behavioral control Strengthening positive identity Improving interpersonal skills It is important to note that some research shows that DBT is not superior to other treatments in reducing self-injury (e.g., Katz et al., 2004, Nock et al., 2007). Emotion Regulation Group Therapy (ERGT) ERGT was developed as an alternative to DBT, offering a briefer treatment period including 14 weeks of group-based psychotherapy. Unlike DBT, which is intended to treat NSSI in combination with other challenges facing people living with BPD, ERGT focuses solely on NSSI. It integrates components of DBT and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). ERGT treats NSSI in several ways: Increasing awareness, understanding, and acceptance of emotions. By learning more about emotions and how to recognise them, individuals are better equipped to cope with emotional experiences. Improving emotional control and tolerance. Individuals learn how to better control the intensity and duration of their emotions, and develop greater tolerance of uncomfortable emotional experiences. Facilitating behavioral control. Individuals learn how to enact goal-directed behaviors and inhibit impulsive behaviors in response to negative emotions. ERGT was designed as an adjunctive treatment, meaning it is best used in conjunction with, rather than instead of, other types of treatment (such as individual psychotherapy). Several well-designed studies have shown that ERGT is effective in reducing self-injury in adult women living with BPD. A recent feasibility study also suggests that ERGT may be effective in adolescent girls engaging in NSSI. Importantly, research on ERGT has been limited to studies on women; more research is needed to determine whether ERGT is equally effective for men. ERGT was also recently adapted to an individual setting for adolescents (ERIT-A; Bjureberg et al., 2017). An open trial investigating the online delivery of ERIT-A showed a reduction in NSSI, which was strengthened at 3-month follow up, and maintained at 6-month follow-up (Bjureberg et al., 2018). Treatment for Self-Injurious Behaviors (T-SIB) T-SIB is a brief, nine-session intervention conducted weekly on an individual basis (Andover et al., 2017). Designed for young adults engaging in NSSI, T-SIB uses motivational enhancement strategies, functional analysis, and skills training for problem-solving, distress tolerance, cognitive distortions, and interpersonal communication to address self-injury. An initial pilot study of T-SIB found decreased self-injury over the course of treatment; however, further research is needed to see if T-SIB will be effective in other groups of people and to compare T-SIB to other treatments that address self-injury. References Andover, M. S., Schatten, H. T., Morris, B. W., Holman, C. S., & Miller, I. W. (2017). An intervention for nonsuicidal self-injury in young adults: A pilot randomized controlled trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology , 85 , 620–631. https://doi.org/10.1037/ccp0000206 Bjureberg, J., Sahlin, H., Hellner, C., Hedman-Lagerlöf, E., Gratz, K. L., Bjärehed, J., Jokinen, J., Tull, M. T., & Ljótsson, B. (2017). Emotion regulation individual therapy for adolescents with nonsuicidal self-injury disorder: A feasibility study. BMC Psychiatry , 17 , Article 411. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-017-1527-4 Bjureberg, J., Sahlin, H., Hedman-Lagerlöf, E., Gratz, K. L., Tull, M. T., Jokinen, J., Hellner, C., & Ljótsson, B. (2018). Extending research on Emotion Regulation Individual Therapy for Adolescents (ERITA) with nonsuicidal self-injury disorder: Open pilot trial and mediation analysis of a novel online version. BMC Psychiatry , 18 , Article 326. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-018-1885-6 Calvo, N., Sara García-González, S., Perez-Galbarro, C., Regales-Peco, C., Lugo-Marin, J., Ramos-Quiroga, J.- A., & Ferrer, M. (2022). Psychotherapeutic interventions specifically developed for NSSI in adolescence: A systematic review. European Neuropsychopharmacology , 58 , 86-98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroneuro.2022.02.009 Fleischhaker, C., Böhme, R., Sixt, B., Brück, C., Schneider, C., & Schulz, E. (2011). Dialectical behavioral therapy for adolescents (DBT-A): A clinical trial for patients with suicidal and self-injurious behavior and borderline symptoms with a one-year follow-up. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health , 5 , Article 3. https://doi.org/10.1186/1753-2000-5-3 Fox, K. R., Huang, X., Guzmán, E. M., Funsch, K. M., Cha, C. B., Ribeiro, J. D., & Franklin, J. C. (2020). Interventions for suicide and self-injury: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials across nearly 50 years of research. Psychological Bulletin , 146 , 1117-1145. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000305 Katz, L. Y., Cox, B. J., Gunasekara, S., & Miller, A. L. (2004). Feasibility of dialectical behavior therapy for suicidal adolescent inpatients. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry , 43 , 276-282. https://doi.org/10.1097/00004583-200403000-00008 Linehan, M. M. (1993). Cognitive-behavioral treatment of borderline personality disorder . Guilford. Miller, A. L., Rathaus, J. H., & Linehan, M. M. (2007). Dialectical behavior therapy with suicidal adolescents . Guilford. Nock, M. K., Teper, R., & Hollander, M. (2007). Psychological treatment of self-injury among adolescents. Journal of Clinical Psychology , 63 , 1081-1089. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.20415 Pistorello, J., Fruzzetti, A. E., MacLane, C., Gallop, R., & Iverson, K. M. (2012). Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) applied to college students: A randomized clinical trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology , 80 , 982–994. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0029096 Stanley, B., Brodsky, B., Nelson, J. D., & Dulit, R. (2007). Brief dialectical behavior therapy (DBT-B) for suicidal behavior and non-suicidal self-injury. Archives of Suicide Research , 11 , 337-341. https://doi.org/10.1080/13811110701542069 Turner, B. J., Austin, S. B., & Chapman, A. L. (2014). Treating nonsuicidal self-injury: A systematic review of psychological and pharmacological interventions. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry , 59 , 576-585. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F070674371405901103

About Self-Injury Who Self-Injures and Why? Resources / About Self-Injury / Who Self-Injures and Why? "A kaleidoscope of people & reasons" People of all ages, genders, sexualities, ethnicities, and social classes self-injure, though there are factors that may increase the likelihood that an individual will self-injure. Age Current research suggests that self-injury most commonly begins between ages 12 and 15 (Plener et al., 2015), with a second onset peak in early adulthood, around age 20 (Ghandi et al., 2018). Some people first start to self-injure before the age of 12 and some first self-injure much later in life. An age of onset before 12 is associated with more severe self-injury over a longer period of time (Muehlenkamp et al., 2019). Typically rates of self-injury increase through early-mid adolescence and decline in later adolescence. Sex, gender, and sexuality A 2015 meta-analysis of 116 studies showed that girls and women are slightly more likely to self-injure than boys and men, with this gender difference particularly evident in clinical samples. Self-injury is also more common among individuals identifying within the LGBTQIA+ community, with rates 2-3 times that of heterosexual/cisgender individuals (Liu et al., 2019). Culture and race A majority of research to date has focussed on samples comprising mostly Caucasian individuals from Western societies. This has lead to a significant gap in our understanding of NSSI among individuals in underrepresented cultural and racial groups. Current knowledge suggests that self-injury is present across cultures and races. A review by Gholamrezaei et al. (2015) showed there may be differences in age of onset and function, but the differences are complicated by social and economic factors, often brought about by racism. Psychological profile A meta-analysis (Fox et al., 2015) found that risk factors for self-injury include depression, hopelessness, abuse, personality and eating disorders, and impulsivity. People who engage in self-injury report being more sensitive to interpersonal stress or conflict, and experiencing greater difficulty expressing and regulating their emotions. That being said, most people who engage in self-injury do not have a mental illness. Trauma and hardship Experiences of trauma can leave lasting psychological damage resulting in instrusive thoughts, flashbacks, painful emotional states, and dissociation. Self-injury may be used by individuals facing these experineces, as it can be an effective strategy for escaping unwanted experiences and ending dissociation (Smith et al., 2014). Whilst people who have experienced trauma are more likely to engage in self-injury (Liu et al., 2018), it is a myth that all people who self-injure have experienced childhood trauma. Poverty is an additional risk factor for self-injury, with individuals from impoverished backgrounds more likely to self-injure than individuals whose socioeconomic needs were met (Liu, 2021). Why People Self-Injure Self-injury can be difficult to understand, as it appears to go against humans' innate desire to avoid harm. However, the reasons someone might injure themselves on purpose are often similar to the reasons people engage in other behaviours. Individuals who have self-injured often report more than one reason for their self-injury, and their reasons may change over time. The functions of self-injury can be classified into two broad categories: intrapersonal and interpersonal. Self-injury for intrapersonal reasons is more common than for interpersonal reasons (Taylor et al., 2018). Intrapersonal Functions Intrapersonal reasons have to do with an individual's internal state, including thoughts and emotions. There are three main intrapersonal functions: Emotion regulation. The most commonly reported reason to engage in self-injury is to manage emotional experiences. This includes escaping an unwanted emotions or inducing a desired emotion. Typically, these emotions are "negative", such as anger, frustration, sadness, and loneliness, but "positive" emotions such as excitement or pride have also been reported. Thought regulation. This is closely linked to emotion regulation, as our thoughts and emotions are connected. Individuals may use self-injury to control or quieten unwanted thoughts, such as self-criticism or suicidal ideation. Self-punishment. While self-punishment appears to serve an emotion regulation purpose, self-injury for this reason is usually tied to feelings or shame or thoughts about oneself being "flawed" or "bad". Interpersonal Functions Interpersonal functions have to do with an individual's connection with others, and include three main reasons: Communicating distress. Sometimes individuals may not know how to explain their distress to others and use self-injury as a way to communicate their feelings. Social influence. There may be several motivations underlying self-injury as a way to influence others. An individual may engage in self-injury to keep people away from them, to demonstrate their belonging to a social group, to elicit care, or to encourage a change in behaviour. Punishment. Sometimes a person may engage in self-injury as a way to punish another person for something they have or have not done. In these instances, the self-injury is typically communicating distress and serving an emotion regulation function as well. References Fox, K. R., Franklin, J. C., Ribeiro, J. D., Kleiman, E. M., Bentley, K. H., & Nock, M. K. (2015). Meta-analysis of risk factors for nonsuicidal self-injury. Clinical Psychology Review , 42 , 156-167. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2015.09.002 Gandhi, A., Luyckx, K., Baetens, I., Kiekens, G., Sleuwaegen, E., Berens, A., Maitra, S., & Claes, L. (2018). Age of onset of non-suicidal self-injury in Dutch-speaking adolescents and emerging adults: An event history analysis of pooled data. Comprehensive Psychiatry , 80 , 170-178. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2017.10.007 Gholamrezaei, M., De Stefano, J., & Heath, N. (2015). Nonsuicidal self-injury across cultures and ethnic and racial minorities: A review. International Journal of Psychology , 52 , 316-326. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijop.12230 Liu, R. R. (2021). The epidemiology of non-suicidal self-injury: Lifetime prevalence, sociodemographic and clinical correlates, and treatment use in a nationally representative sample of adults in England. Psychological Medicine , 53 , 274-282. https://doi.org/10.1017/S003329172100146X Liu, R. T., Scopelliti, K. M., Pittman, S. K., & Zamora, A. S. (2018). Childhood maltreatment and non-suicidal self-injury: A systematic review and meta-analysis. The Lancet - Psychiatry , 5 , 51-64. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(17)30469-8 Liu, R. T., Sheehan, A. E., Walsh, R. F. L., Sanzari, C. M., Cheek, S. M., & Hernandez, E. M. (2019). Prevalence and correlates of non-suicidal self-injury among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review , 74 , Article 101783. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2019.101783 Muehlenkamp, J. J., Xhunga, N., & Brausch, A. M. (2019). Self-injury age of onset: A risk factor for NSSI severity and suicidal behavior. Archives of Suicide Research , 23 , 551-563. https://doi.org/10.1080/13811118.2018.1486252 Plener, P. L., Schumachers, T. S., Munz, L., & Groschwitz, R. C. (2015). The longitudinal course of non-suicidal self-injury and deliberate self-harm: A systematic review of the literature. Borderline Personality Disorder and Emotion Dysregulation , 2 , Article 2. https://doi.org/10.1186%2Fs40479-014-0024-3 Smith, N. B., Kouros, C. D., & Meuret, A. E. (2014). The role of trauma symptoms in nonsuicidal self-injury. Trauma, Violence, and Abuse , 15 , 41-56. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524838013496332 Taylor, P. J., Jomar, K., Dhingra, K., Forrester, R., Shahmalak, U., & Dickson, J. M. (2018). A meta-analysis of the prevalence of different functions of non-suicidal self-injury. Journal of Affective Disorders , 227 , 759-769. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2017.11.073

Stephen Lewis, PhD, & Penelope Hasking, PhD, introduce a new way of thinking about self-injury, self-harm, and recovery. Season 3 | Episode 36 Podcast/ Season 3 | Episode 36 Self-Injury Recovery: A Person-Centered Approach Apr 28, 2023 with Drs. Stephen Lewis & Penny Hacking Self-Injury Recovery: A Person-Centered Approach with Drs. Stephen Lewis & Penny Hacking 00:00 / 01:04 In this episode, ISSS Past Presidents Dr. Stephen Lewis from the University of Guelph in Canada, and Dr. Penelope Hasking from Curtin University in Australia talk about a new way of understanding self-injury and self-harm, with a special focus on recovery. In their person-centered approach, they emphasize the perspective of lived experience, move away from a "why don't you just stop" mentality, normalize ongoing self-injury thoughts and urges, and discuss strengths, scarring, and disclosures. Follow Drs. Lewis and Hasking on Twitter at @SPLewisPhD and @PennyHasking . Keep up with Dr. Lewis' non-profit outreach organization Self-Injury Outreach & Support at @sioutreach , and follow Dr. Hasking's research in the Emotional Health and Self-Injury Research Group at @NSSI_RG . Below are links to their book and a couple of their articles referenced in this episode: Lewis, S. P., & Hasking, P. A. (2023). Understanding self-injury: A person-centered approach . Oxford University Press. Lewis, S. P., & Hasking, P. A. (2021). Understanding self-injury: A person-centered approach . Psychiatric Services, 72 (6), 721-723. Lewis, S. P., & Hasking, P. (2019). Putting the “self” in self-injury research: Inclusion of people with lived experience in the research process . Psychiatric Services, 70 (11), 1058-1060. To read more about person-first language and identity-first language when referencing autism, click here and also visit https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36237135/ . To read about language used to discuss race and ethnicity, click here . Follow Dr. Westers on Instagram and Twitter (@DocWesters). To join ISSS, visit itriples.org and follow ISSS on Facebook and Twitter (@ITripleS). The Psychology of Self-Injury podcast has been rated #5 by Feedspot in their " Best 20 Clinical Psychology Podcasts " and by Welp Magazine in their " 20 Best Injury Podcasts ." Previous Next

Together, a dad and his young adult daughter share their story of her self-injury and self-harm. Season 3 | Episode 37 Podcast/ Season 3 | Episode 37 A Dad & Daughter Discuss Her Lived Experience of Self-Harm May 26, 2023 A Dad & Daughter Discuss Her Lived Experience of Self-Harm 00:00 / 01:04 What is a parent's role in helping their child recover from self-injury? What might a dad say about supporting his child when he learns his child is engaging in nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI)? In this episode, a father and daughter sit down to discuss her lived experience of self-injury and self-harm and how parents, especially dads, can support their child. This is a shared story. Follow Dr. Westers on Instagram and Twitter (@DocWesters). To join ISSS, visit itriples.org and follow ISSS on Facebook and Twitter (@ITripleS). The Psychology of Self-Injury podcast has been rated #5 by Feedspot in their " 20 Best Clinical Psychology Podcasts " and also featured in Audible's " Best Mental Health Podcasts to Defy Stigma and Begin to Heal ." Previous Next

Malika, creator of Selfharmerproblems YouTube and Instagram pages, shares her story of lived experience of self-injury and self-harm. Season 1 | Episode 8 Podcast/ Season 1 | Episode 8 Lived Experience of Self-Injury: Malika's Story Mar 12, 2021 Lived Experience of Self-Injury: Malika's Story 00:00 / 01:04 In this episode, Malika details her experience of disclosing her self-injury to her parents as a teenager, seeking treatment, and how she decided to start Selfharmerproblems Instagram and YouTube pages. Follow her on Instagram and YouTube , and visit her new website at www.selfharmerproblems.org . To watch all her YouTube videos about her lived experience of self-harm, click here . Follow Dr. Westers on Instagram and Twitter (@DocWesters). To join ISSS, visit itriples.org and follow ISSS on Facebook and Twitter (@ITripleS). Previous Next