Research on Self-Injury in Daily Life Collaboration / Special Interest Groups / Research on Self-Injury in Daily Life Advancing Tangible Benefits The Consortium for Research on Self-Injury in Daily Life (SIDL) is an interdisciplinary and international group of researchers, clinicians, and advocates who aim to build expertise and capacity to better understand, predict, and prevent key NSSI outcomes as they are experienced in individuals' everyday lives. Our Mission Promote person-centered care and the development and implementation of personalized prevention and novel digital interventions in the treatment of NSSI. Better understand the short-term course of NSSI thoughts, urges, and behaviors in daily life, the individual risk and protective factors, and the relationship with long-term change. Consider the responsibilities of studying NSSI in daily life and provide guidance to stakeholders across different cultural and intersectional contexts. Discover More NSSI occurs in interaction with real-world contexts and therefore is best understood in the natural environment . However, studying self-injury in people's daily lives can be challenging. To tackle this challenge, ISSS established a Consortium for Research on Self-Injury in Daily Life at the annual society meeting in 2019. We aim to build expertise and capacity to better understand, predict, and prevent key NSSI outcomes as they are experienced in individuals' everyday lives. Our group consists of graduate students, early-career, mid-career, and senior researchers committed to producing high-quality, ambitious, and scientifically rigorous work, which seeks to develop tangible benefits for people who self-injure. Making use of advances in real-time monitoring (also called experience sampling or ecological momentary assessment) and intensive longitudinal methods, we believe that research on NSSI in everyday life will advance more rapidly when all stakeholders' interests (i.e., individuals with lived experience, their families, researchers, and clinicians) are considered. NSSI is a behavior that occurs in interction with real-world context and therefore is best understood in the natural environment. To tackle this challenge, ISSS established a Consortium for Research on Self-Injury in Daily Life at the annual society meeting in 2019. Representative/s of Research on Self-Injury in Daily Life Glenn Kiekens | Brooke Ammerman glenn.kiekens@kuleuven.be | bammerm1@nd.edu

Moye Xin, PhD, from Xi’an University in China shares insights from his research exploring how conflict about one's gender role may increase risk for engaging in nonsuicidal self-injury and self-harm. Season 5 | Episode 60 Podcast/ Season 5 | Episode 60 Does Conflict About One’s Gender Role Predict Self-Injury? Apr 25, 2025 with Dr. Moye Xin Does Conflict About One’s Gender Role Predict Self-Injury? with Dr. Moye Xin 00:00 / 01:04 In this episode, Dr. Moye Xin from Xi'an University in the Shaanxi Province of central China discusses how nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is viewed in Asia and shares his thoughts about how gender role conflict may affect rates of self-harm among university students, particularly young Chinese men. Connect with Dr. Xin on ResearchGate at www.researchgate.net/profile/Moye-Xin or visit his work on SciProfiles at sciprofiles.com/profile/1469611 . Below are a few of his research studies referenced in this episode: Xin, M., Petrovic, J., Yang, C., Zhang L., & Yang, X. (2024). Nonsuicidal self-injury among Chinese university students during the post-COVID-19 era: analysis of sex differences and the impact of gender role conflict . Frontiers in Psychology, 15 , 1362762. Xin, M., Zhang, L., Yang, C., Yang, X., and Xiang, M. (2022). Risky or protective? Online social support's impact on nssi amongst Chinese youth experiencing stressful life events . BMC Psychiatry, 22 , 782. Yang, X., & Xin, M. (2018). "Boy crisis" or "girl risk"? The gender difference in nonsuicidal self-injurious behavior among middle-school students in China and its relationship to gender role conflict and violent experiences . American Journal of Men's Health, 12 (5), 1275–1285. Previous Next

Lotte Rubæk, MSc, from Denmark discusses the role of social media among individuals who self-injure as well as why she resigned from her role on Meta's (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp) self-harm global expert panel. Season 4 | Episode 50 Podcast/ Season 4 | Episode 50 Social Media, Meta, & Self-Injury Jun 28, 2024 with Lotte Rubæk Social Media, Meta, & Self-Injury with Lotte Rubæk 00:00 / 01:04 In this episode, Lotte Rubæk, MSc, who leads the Self-Injury Team in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in the Capital Region of Denmark, talks about why interaction on image-based social media platforms like Instagram can be particularly appealing to young people who self-harm. She discusses the dynamics that can arise between users in the more closed social media networks, and she explains why she so publicly resigned from Meta's global expert panel on self-harm after serving on it for 3.5 years. Connect with Lotte on LinkedIn here , and read The Guardian's article about her decision to resign from Meta here . Listen to her podcast, Selvskadens Psykologi , which means The Psychology of Self-Injury in Danish, here . Read about the U.S. Surgeon General's May 2023 advisory about the effects social media use has on youth mental health here , and read about his June 2024 call on Congress to require warning labels on social media platforms and their effects on young people’s lives here . Below are Lotte's two book chapters in the new Oxford Handbook of Nonsuicidal Self-Injury and a few additional papers related to social media and self-injury: Rubæk, L., & Møhl, B. (2023). Direct and indirect self-injury . In E. E. Lloyd-Richardson, I. Baetens, & J. Whitlock (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of nonsuicidal self-injury (pp. 41-71). Oxford University Press. Møhl, B., & Rubæk, L. (2023). Understanding the link between direct and indirect self-injurious behavior . In E. E. Lloyd-Richardson, I. Baetens, & J. Whitlock (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of nonsuicidal self-injury (pp. 680-701). Oxford University Press. Westers, N. J., Lewis, S. P., Whitlock, J., Schatten, H. T., Ammerman, B., Andover, M. S., & Lloyd-Richardson, E. E.(2021). Media guidelines for the responsible reporting and depicting of non-suicidal self-injury . The British Journal of Psychiatry, 219 (2), 415-418. Zhu, L., Westers, N. J.,Horton, S. E., King, J. D., Diederich, A., Stewart, S. M., & Kennard, B. D. (2016). Frequency of exposure to and engagement in nonsuicidal self-injury among inpatient adolescents . Archives of Suicide Research, 20 (4), 580-590. Bridge, J. A., Greenhouse, J. B., Ruch, D., Stevens, J., Ackerman, J., Sheftall, A. H., Horowitz, L. M., Kelleher, K. J., & Campo, J. V. (2020). Association between the release of Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why and suicide rates in the United States: An interrupted time series analysis . Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 59 (2), 236-243. Previous Next

Sarah Swannell, PhD, a psychologist in private practice in Australia and Lecturer at the University of Queensland discusses the prevalence and characteristics of self-injury and self-harm among individuals over age 40. Season 2 | Episode 27 Podcast/ Season 2 | Episode 27 Self-Injury Over Age 40 Jul 29, 2022 with Dr. Sarah Swannell Self-Injury Over Age 40 with Dr. Sarah Swannell 00:00 / 01:04 What is the prevalence of self-injury among adults over age 40? And what differentiates those who report having stopped self-injuring from those who continue to self-injure? How do they differ from those under age 25 who self-injure, including related to suicidal thoughts and behaviors? In this episode, psychologist Dr. Sarah Swannell from Australia discusses the prevalence of self-injury and self-harm among individuals over age 40 and stigma around the behavior. Learn more about Dr. Swannell and her work at https://sarahswannell.com.au/ . Below are links to some of her research referenced in this episode: Martin, G., & Swannell, S. (2016). Non-suicidal self-injury in the over 40s: Results from a large national epidemiological survey . Epidemiology, 6 (5), 266. Martin, G., Swannell, S. V., Hazell, P. L., Harrison, J. E., & Taylor, A. W. (2010). Self-injury in Australia: a community survey . Medical Journal of Australia, 193 (9), 506-510. (Australian National Epidemiological Study of Self-Injury [ANESSI]) Troya, M. I., Dikomitis, L., Babatunde, O. O., Bartlam, B., & Chew-Graham, C. A. (2019). Understanding self-harm in older adults: A qualitative study . EClinical Medicine, 12 , 52-61. 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

ISSS Invited Fellows Home /Awards / Invited Fellows Celebrating Excellence Invited Fellows of ISSS are esteemed members who have made outstanding contributions to the field. Through their research, clinical, and/or advocacy work, ISSS Fellows have advanced science and improved the lives of people with lived experience. 2026 Invited Fellows To be announced To be announced 2025 Dr. Stephen P. Lewis Dr. Lewis is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Guelph. Read more 2025 Dr. Penelope A. Hasking Dr. Hasking is a Distinguished Professor of Psychology at Curtin University. Read more 2024 Dr. Jason J. Washburn Dr. Washburn is a Professor and the Chief of Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Northwestern University. Read more 2024 Dr. Kim L. Gratz Dr. Gratz is a writer, clinician, and an affiliated faculty member at the University of Toledo. Read more 2023 Dr. Nancy L. Heath Dr. Heath is a Professor at McGill University in the Department of Educational & Counselling Psychology. Read more 2023 Dr. Laurence Claes Dr. Claes is a Professor at Ku Leuven in the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences. Read more 2022 Dr. Janis L. Whitlock Dr. Whitlock is a developmental psychologist and public health specialist specializing in the mental health of adolescents and young people. Read more 2022 Dr. Paul L. Plener Dr. Plener is a Professor at the Medical University of Vienna where he is Head of the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Read more 2021 Dr. Barent W. Walsh Dr. Walsh is a Clinical Social Worker and author. Read more 2021 Dr. Jennifer J. Muehlenkamp Dr. Muehlenkamp is a Professor at the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire. Read more

Kirsty Hird, PhD, from The Kids Research Institute Australia explains in depth why people self-injure or self-harm according to six specific theoretical models of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). Season 5 | Episode 62 Podcast/ Season 5 | Episode 62 Why Do People Self-Injure? Part 2 Jun 27, 2025 with Dr. Kirsty Hird Why Do People Self-Injure? Part 2 with Dr. Kirsty Hird 00:00 / 01:04 Dr. Kirsty Hird, a Research Officer in the Youth Mental Health team at The Kids Research Institute Australia, adds to Episode 1 of The Psychology of Self-Injury podcast by explaining in depth and in layman's terms why people self-injure according to the six most common/popular theoretical models. Connect with Dr. Hird on LinkedIn here , view her staff profile here , and follow her on ResearchGate here . Below are two of her papers related to today's interview as well as a few other resources referenced in this episode: Hird, K., Hasking, P., & Boyes, M. (2023). A comparison of the theoretical models of NSSI . In E.E. Lloyd-Richardson, I. Baetens, & J. Whitlock (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of nonsuicidal self-injury (pp. 24-40). Oxford University Press. Hird, K., Hasking, P., & Boyes, M. (2022). Relationships between outcome expectancies and non-suicidal self-injury: Moderating roles of emotion regulation difficulties and self-efficacy to resist self-injury . Archives of Suicide Research, 26 (4), 1688-1701. Gray, N., Uren, H., Pemberton, E., & Boyes, M. (2023). Profiling ambivalence in the context of nonsuicidal self-injury . Journal of Clinical Psychology, 79(8) , 1699-1712. Ramsey, W. A., Berlin, K. S., Del Conte, G., Lightsey, O. R., Schimmel-Bristow, A., Marks, L. R., & Strohmer, D. C. (2021). Targeting self-criticism in the treatment of nonsuicidal self-injury in dialectical behavior therapy for adolescents: a randomized clinical trial . Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 26 (4), 320-330. Gratz, K., & Tull, M. (2025). Acceptance-based emotion regulation therapy: A clinician’s guide to treating emotion dysregulation and self-destructive behaviors using an evidence-based therapy drawn from ACT and DBT . Harbinger Press. Below are links to the original 6 theoretical models discussed in this episode: Four Function Model - Nock, M. K., & Prinstein, M. J. (2004). A functional approach to the assessment of self-mutilative behavior . Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 72 (5), 885–890. Experiential Avoidance Model - Chapman, A. L., Gratz, K. L., & Brown, M. Z. (2006). Solving the puzzle of deliberate self-harm: The experiential avoidance model . Behaviour Research and Therapy, 44 (3), 371–394. Emotional Cascade Model - Selby, E. A., & Joiner, T. E. (2009). Cascades of emotion: The emergence of borderline personality disorder from emotional and behavioral dysregulation . Review of General Psychology, 13 (3), 219–229. Integrated Model - Nock, M. K. (2010). Self-injury . Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 6 (1), 339–363. Cognitive-Emotional Model - Hasking, P., Whitlock, J., Voon, D., & Rose, A. (2017). A cognitive-emotional model of NSSI: Using emotion regulation and cognitive processes to explain why people self-injure . Cognition and Emotion, 31 (8), 1543–1556. Barriers and Benefits Model - Hooley, J. M., & Franklin, J. C. (2018). Why do people hurt themselves? A new conceptual model of nonsuicidal self-injury . Clinical Psychological Science, 6 (3), 428–451. Previous Next

Sarah Victor, PhD, from Texas Tech University discusses the prevalence of self-injury among psychologists and psychology graduate students, how psychologists with and without lived experience of self-injury can appropriately provide therapy to clients and supervision to trainees with a history of self-injury, and how individuals with lived experience of self-injury can be involved in teaching and research on self-injury and self-harm. Season 1 | Episode 9 Podcast/ Season 1 | Episode 9 Psychologists with Lived Experience of Self-Injury Mar 26, 2021 with Dr. Sarah Victor Psychologists with Lived Experience of Self-Injury with Dr. Sarah Victor 00:00 / 01:04 How many psychologists have lived experience of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI)? What biases should mental health professionals with and without a history of self-injury keep in mind when treating or supervising someone who has lived experience? In this episode, Dr. Victor shares preliminary data that she has just begun analyzing regarding the prevalence rates of mental health difficulties and self-injury among psychologists and psychology graduate students. She provides guidance about how mental health professionals can provide appropriate care to therapy clients and supervision to trainees who have lived experience of self-injury and self-harm. She also discusses how individuals with lived experience can be involved in research and teaching. Learn more about Dr. Victor and her work in the Tracking Risk Over Time Lab (TRTL) at https://www.depts.ttu.edu/psy/people/svictor/ and her website at https://www.sarahevictor.com/ . Follow her on Twitter @sarahevictor . Below are links to some of her research and the resources referenced in this episode: Psychologists with lived experience of non-suicidal self-injury: Priorities, obstacles, and recommendations for inclusion (click here for the free version of the author's manuscript) LiveThroughThis.org Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (Canadian Institutes of Health Research) Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) ClinicalTrials.gov Follow Dr. Westers on Instagram and Twitter (@DocWesters). To join ISSS, visit itriples.org and follow ISSS on Facebook and Twitter (@ITripleS). Previous Next

Stephen Lewis, PhD, from the University of Guelph in Canada and Immediate Past President of the International Society for the Study of Self-Injury (ISSS) discusses the state of health information about self-injury on the internet and addresses the risks and benefits of seeking self-injury and self-harm content online. Season 1 | Episode 5 Podcast/ Season 1 | Episode 5 Self-Injury and the Internet Jan 29, 2021 with Dr. Stephen Lewis Self-Injury and the Internet with Dr. Stephen Lewis 00:00 / 01:04 What is the quality of online health information related to self-injury and self-harm? What are some of the risks and benefits related to seeking self-injury content on the internet? In this episode, Dr. Lewis details 3 overarching risks and 4 overarching benefits of accessing self-injury content online. He also discusses his research related to the effects of hopeless vs. hopeful comments on YouTube videos about self-injury. To watch Dr. Lewis' TEDx talk about his own lived experience of self-injury on YouTube, visit https://youtu.be/G17iMOw0ar8 . Learn more about self-injury and Dr. Lewis' work at Self-injury Outreach & Support (SiOS) ( http://sioutreach.org/ ). Follow SiOS on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/sioutreach ) and Twitter ( https://twitter.com/sioutreach ). Below are links to his research and resources referenced in this episode: Non-suicidal self-injury, youth, and the Internet: What mental health professionals need to know Googling self-injury: The state of health Information obtained through online searches for self-injury The Scope of Nonsuicidal Self-Injury on YouTube Self-Injury Resources: Self-injury Outreach & Support (SiOS) ( http://sioutreach.org/ ) Shedding Light on Self-Injury ( https://www.self-injury.org.au/ ) Self-Injury & Recovery Resources (SIRR) ( www.selfinjury.bctr.cornell.edu ) The International Society for the Study of Self-Injury (ISSS) ( https://itriples.org/ ) Follow Dr. Westers on Instagram and Twitter (@DocWesters). To join ISSS, visit itriples.org and follow ISSS on Facebook and Twitter (@ITripleS). Previous Next

Thomas from Ontario, Canada shares his story of lived experience of self-injury and gender dysphoria, including how self-harm evolved for him over time as a transgender man. Season 4 | Episode 48 Podcast/ Season 4 | Episode 48 Lived Experience: Thomas' Story of Self-Injury & Gender Dysphoria Apr 26, 2024 Lived Experience: Thomas' Story of Self-Injury & Gender Dysphoria 00:00 / 01:04 Approximately 47% of transgender adults and 55.7% of transgender and non-binary youth report having engaged in nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) at some point in their life. In this episode, Thomas details his experience of self-harm beginning at age 12, how his self-injury evolved over time, and how it related to his gender dysphoria. He also discusses dissociation as a relatively constant function (i.e., reason) of his self-injury and what happened when he fully transitioned as a man. Previous Next

2023 - 2024 Home / Collaborative Research Program / NSSI in Chinese Adolescents NSSI and other life-threatening behaviours among adolescents in China Mentor/s: Moye Xin 2024 - 2025 Project Overview Affiliation: Xhaanxi Normal University, China Project Description: My research interests mainly focus on a combination with Life-threatening behaviors (e.g., NSSI and suicidal behaviors) among other minorities (e.g., adolescents and young adults at risk) and gender study, then try to figure out the mechanism of them, with the perspective of social science and psychological methodology, meanwhile, cooperating with international platforms, if possible. Applicants should have the following skills: Basic skills of data analysis, literature review and a little bit of mind of innovation Junior researcher responsibilities: Collecting literatures and revelant data, drafting manuscripts based on their own research interests Anticipated outcome(s) for junior researcher: Able to start your own research by choosing frontiers of research field, and start to write basic literature reviews and do some basic data analysis. Time commitment: 3 days per week for 1 year Application Deadline: June 1, 2024 Apply Now

About Self-Injury Self-Injury and Suicide Resources / About Self-Injury / Self-Injury and Suicide "Related but not the same" The relationship between NSSI and suicide is complex. Although NSSI is not a suicidal behavior itself, it is a reliable predictor of later suicidal thoughts, plans, and attempts (Kiekens et al., 2018, Ribeiro et al., 2016). So, why is this the case? There are lots of factors that contribute to the relationship between NSSI and suicidal behaviours. A recent review by Griep and MacKinnon (2020) found that past-year NSSI frequency and depressive symptoms increase an individual's risk of attempting suicide. There were mixed findings regarding age and sex differences. Suicidality can fluctuate over time. It is important to continually check in with clients and loved ones regarding their self-injury and suicidality. References Kiekens, G., Hasking, P., Boyes, M., Claes, L., Mortier, P., Auerbach, R. P., Cuijpers, P., Demyttenaere, K., Greene, J. G., Kessler, R. C., Myin-Germeys, I., Nock, M. K., & Bruffaerts, R. (2018). The associations between non-suicidal self-injury and first onset suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Journal of Affective Disorders , 239 , 171-179. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2018.06.033 Griep, S. K., & MacKinnon, D. F. (2020). Does nonsuicidal self-injury predict later suicidal attempts? A review of studies. Archives of Suicide Research , 26 , 428-446. https://doi.org/10.1080/13811118.2020.1822244 Ribeiro, J. D., Franklin, J. C., Fox, K. R., Bentley, K. H., Kleiman, E. M., Chang, B. P., & Nock, M. K. (2015). Self-injurious thoughts and behaviors as risk factors for future suicide ideation, attempts, and death: A meta-analysis of longitudinal studies. Psychological Medicine , 46 , 225-236. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291715001804

Yukari Seko, PhD, from Ryerson University in Canada describes how self-injury is depicted in various genres of Japanese manga and how graphic novels like manga can be utilized for good in understanding and treating self-injury and self-harm. Season 1 | Episode 17 Podcast/ Season 1 | Episode 17 Self-Injury in Japanese Manga Sep 3, 2021 with Dr. Yukari Seko Self-Injury in Japanese Manga with Dr. Yukari Seko 00:00 / 01:04 Manga are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Not only do manga reveal and reinforce cultural values, beliefs, and norms, particularly in Japan, but they can also be used as a teaching tool and source of information. Manga and other comics can be used in medicine to learn and teach about illness and to build empathy. They also have the power to shape public understanding of mental health issues, even nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). In this episode, Dr. Yukari Seko explains how self-injury and the characters who engage in the behavior are portrayed in Japanese manga. She also discusses the importance of manga within Japanese culture. Below is a reference (with a link) to her research paper along with a breakdown of common genres of manga and, based on her study, just how many characters within each genre engage in self-injury and self-harm: GENRES OF MANGA (& the number of characters depicted who self-injure, based on Dr. Seko's study): 1. shōjo : comics for girls 18 and younger (written for girls, by girls) - depicted 10 characters who self-injure 2. shōnen : comics for boys 18 and younger (written for boys, by boys, about boys) - depicted 0 characters 3. seinen : comics for young males age 18-30 - depicted 6 characters , portrayed as menhera (a derivation of " men tal heal th- er ," a person with mental instability or "mentally vulnerable damsels in distress") 4. josei : comics for young females 18-30 - depicted 1 character 5. Boy's Love : a subgenre of josei manga featuring erotic relationships between male characters - depicted 1 character 6. seijen : comics for grownups - depicted 0 characters 7. redicomi : "Lady's Comic" for adult women - depicted 0 characters 8. slice-of-life : genre that features realistic depictions of everyday life. Seko, Y., & Kikuchi, M. (2021). Self-injury in Japanese manga: A content analysis . Journal of Medical Humanities, 42 (3), 355-369. Seko, Y., & Kikuchi, M. (2022). Mentally ill and cute as hell: Menhera girls and portrayals of self-injury in Japanese popular culture . Frontiers in Communication, 7 . To learn more about Dr. Seko and her work at Ryerson University, visit https://www.ryerson.ca/procom/people/yukari-seko/ . To learn more about graphic medicine and novels referenced in this episode, see Williams, I. C. M. (2012). Graphic medicine: comics as medical narrative . Medical Humanities, 38 (1), 21-27. 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