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Contact Us Home / About / Contact Us Get in touch Please note that this contact form is for general inquiries only. While we offer information and resources about self-injury, ISSS is unable to provide crisis support, clinical services, or treatment. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger or needs urgent help, please contact local emergency mental health services in your area. You can find a list of suggested services at https://www.helpguide.org/find-help First Name Last Name Email What is your message about? * Required Membership Conference Advocacy Research Clinical Publication Other Message Subscribe to the newsletter Send Sent! We'll be in touch soon :)

Orlando, Florida 2019 Conferences / 14th Annual Conference | Orlando, Florida June, 2019 In 2019, we hosted our 14th Annual International Conference in Orlando, Florida. Details Conference Program Show More

Home / Awards / Invited Fellow / Dr. Kim L. Gratz Dr. Kim L. Gratz Previous Dr. Kim L. Gratz is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Psychology at the University of Toledo (United States) who is an influential figure in the study of emotion regulation and self-injury. Her pioneering research on borderline personality disorder, emotion dysregulation, and the mechanisms underlying self-destructive behaviors has shaped modern understanding and treatment approaches. She is recognized for her exceptional clinical insight, innovative research, and her mentorship of emerging clinicians and scientists. Her compassion, intellect, and advocacy have made her a cornerstone of the self-injury research community. Next ISSS Fellow | 2024

Toronto, Canada 2024 Conferences / 19th Annual Conference | Toronto, Canada 27th - 28th June, 2024 In 2024, we hosted our 19th Annual International Conference in Toronto, Canada. Details In 2024, we hosted our 19th Annual International Conference in Toronto, Canada. It was a wonderful week filled with Toronto's charm, renewed connections, and a refreshed commitment to research, support, and advocacy. Show More

Julian Koenig, Dr. sc. hum. (PhD), from the University of Cologne in Germany discusses the psychology of pain in self-injury and self-harm. Season 3 | Episode 40 Podcast/ Season 3 | Episode 40 The Psychology of Self-Injury Pain Aug 25, 2023 with Dr. Julien Koenig The Psychology of Self-Injury Pain with Dr. Julien Koenig 00:00 / 01:04 What is the relationship between nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and pain? Are individuals who self-injure less sensitive to pain than those who don’t self-injure? What are the ethics involved in conducting research on pain? In this episode, Dr. Julian Koenig describes the research on the experience of pain among those who self-harm. Learn more about Dr. Koenig and his research lab at www.koeniglab.de , and follow him on Twitter/X at @koeniglab . Below are links to some of the research referenced in this episode: Koenig, J., Thayer, J. F., & Kaess, M. (2016). A meta-analysis on pain sensitivity in self-injury . Psychological Medicine, 46 (8), 1597-1612. Koenig, J., Klier, J., Parzer, P., Santangelo, P., Resch, F., Ebner-Priemer, U., & Kaess, M. (2021). High-frequency ecological momentary assessment of emotional and interpersonal states preceding and following self-injury in female adolescents . European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 30 (8), 1299-1308. Kaess, M., Hooley, J. M., Klimes-Dougan, B., Koenig, J., Plener, P. L., Reichl, C., Robinson, K., Schmahl, C., Sicorello, M., Schreiner, M. W., & Cullen, K. R. (2021). Advancing a temporal framework for understanding the biology of nonsuicidal self-injury: An expert review . Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 130 , 228-239. Störkel, L. M., Karabatsiakis, A., Hepp, J., Kolassa, I.-T., Schmahl, C., & Niedtfeld, I. (2021). Salivary beta-endorphin in nonsuicidal self-injury: an ambulatory assessment study . Neuropsychopharmacology, 46 (7), 1357-1363. Sigrist, C., Kaess, M., & Koenig, J. (2023). Autonomic nervous system function in nonsuicidal self-injury—A Research Domain Criteria perspective on the arousal/regulatory systems . In E. E. Lloyd-Richardson, I. Baetens, & J. Whitlock (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of nonsuicidal self-injury (pp. C18S1–C18S23). Oxford University Press. Naoum, J., Reitz, S., Krause-Utz, A., Kleindienst, N., Willis, F., Kuniss, S., Baumgärtner, U., Mancke, F., Treede, R.-D., & Schmahl, C. (2016). The role of seeing blood in non-suicidal self-injury in female patients with borderline personality disorder . Psychiatry Research, 246 , 676-682. Follow Dr. Westers on Instagram and Twitter/X (@DocWesters). To join ISSS, visit itriples.org and follow ISSS on Facebook and Twitter/X (@ITripleS). The Psychology of Self-Injury podcast has been rated #1 by Feedspot in their list of " 10 Best Self Harm Podcasts " and #5 in their " 20 Best Clinical Psychology Podcasts ." It has also been featured in Audible's " Best Mental Health Podcasts to Defy Stigma and Begin to Heal ." Previous Next

Two paragraph summary Research on Self-Injury in Daily Life Dr Glenn Kiekens Two paragraph summary Previous Next Featured Member Home / Special Interest Groups / Research on Self-Injury in Daily Life / Member Spotlights Question Answer

Home / Awards / Invited Fellow / Dr. James J. Gross Dr. James J. Gross Previous Dr. James J. Gross is the Ernest R. Hilgard Professor of Psychology at Stanford University (United States), where he directs the Stanford Center for Affective Science and the Stanford Psychophysiology Laboratory . A pioneer in emotion regulation, he has published over 650 works cited more than 250,000 times, shaping research across psychology and neuroscience. Dr. Gross is also an award-winning teacher and mentor, recognized with Stanford’s highest teaching honor, multiple mentoring awards, and national mentorship prizes. He has received research honors from the APA, the Society for Psychophysiological Research, the Social and Affective Neuroscience Society, and the Grawemeyer Award, as well as honorary doctorates from institutions in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Hong Kong. He is co-founding President of the Society for Affective Science, Founding Co-Editor-in-Chief of Affective Science , and a Fellow of multiple leading scientific organizations. Known for his intellectual rigor and transformative impact, Dr. Gross continues to advance the science of emotion while inspiring students, colleagues, and the global research community. Next ISSS Fellow | 2026

Membership Plans Home / Membership / Membership Plans Member Benefits As a paying member of ISSS, you will get access to a host of benefits, including: Reduced registration fees for conferences Access to recorded conference content Our repository of NSSI measures (currently under construction) Voting and award-nomination rights Ability to advertise your research on our research participation page (currently under construction, restrictions will apply) Join us today by choosing your plan below. Professional $ 75 75$ For academics, clinicians, and other employed professionals Valid for one year Select Concession $ 50 50$ Option for professionals experiencing financial hardship Valid for one year Select Student $ 25 25$ For current undergraduate and graduate students Valid for one year Select Other Stakeholders $ 25 25$ For non-academic/clinical/professional members (e.g., lived experience, parent) Valid for one year Select

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

Michelle Hiner, MS, from Rutgers University in New Jersey breaks down how high and low arousal emotions affect the perception of pain among those who engage in self-injury and self-harm. Season 4 | Episode 53 Podcast/ Season 4 | Episode 53 Effects of Emotions on Self-Injury Pain Perception Sep 27, 2024 with Michelle Hiner Effects of Emotions on Self-Injury Pain Perception with Michelle Hiner 00:00 / 01:04 Does the emotion someone experiences immediately preceding an episode of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) influence how painful that episode of self-harm feels? In this episode, Michelle Hiner, MS, a Clinical Psychology PhD student in the Emotion and Psychopathology (EmP) Lab at Rutgers University in New Jersey talks about how individuals who self-harm after experiencing high arousal negative emotions (HANEs), like anger, experience pain differently than those who self-injure after experiencing low arousal negative emotions (LANEs), like sadness and dissociation. Connect with Michelle on LinkedIn here , and learn more about the Emotion and Psychopathology (EmP) Lab here . Below are some papers referenced in this episode: Drummond, P. D. (1995). Noradrenaline increases hyperalgesia to heat in skin sensitized by capsaicin . Pain, 60 (3), 311-315. Wiercioch-Kuzianik, K., & Bąbel, P. (2019). Color hurts. The effect of color on pain perception . Pain Medicine, 20 (10), 1955-1962. Paul, E., Tsypes, A., Eidlitz, L., Ernhout, C., & Whitlock, J. (2015). Frequency and functions of non-suicidal self-injury: Associations with suicidal thoughts and behaviors . Psychiatry Research, 225 (3), 276–282. Previous Next

Welcome The International Society for the Study of Self-Injury We are an international collaboration of experienced clinicians, exp ert researchers, students, and passionate community members dedicated to improving the lives of individuals impacted by non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). Through four primary goals, we aim to foster well-being and stamp out stigma: Research Conduct and disseminate state-of-the art research to advance the understanding, assessment, treatment, and prevention of NSSI. Care & Support Develop, evaluate, and promote, and provide evidence-based care to advance clinical understanding of NSSI and its treatment across diverse settings. Outreach Engage in public outreach to improve knowledge of evidence-based prevention, assessment, and treatment options for NSSI. Connection Enhance networking, collaboration, and resource sharing among all stakeholders with an interest in improving the lives of people who engage in NSSI.

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