2023 - 2024 Home / Collaborative Research Program / Real-Time Monitoring of NSSI Using real-time monitoring to study social interactions and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) cognitions and behaviors among individuals seeking care Mentor/s: Glenn Kiekens and Laurence Claes 2024 - 2025 Project Overview Affiliations: Tilburg University & Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Netherlands & Belgium Project description: Recent advances in real-time monitoring technologies (i.e., multiple measurements a day via smartphones) have revolutionized our ability to study NSSI cognitions and behaviors, and its potential psychosocial risk factors, in the natural environment. This CRP project will use real-time monitoring data from the Detection of Acute Risk of Self-Injury (DAILY) project (Kiekens et al., 2023), a 28-day ecological momentary assessment study with six daily assessments among 125 individuals aged 15-39 years receiving inpatient and/or outpatient mental health services. Using an ideation-to-action framework, we will study the relationship between social interactions (e.g., being alone versus with others) and appraisals thereof and its contemporeanous and temporal relationship with both NSSI cognitions (thoughts, urges, and self-efficacy to resist NSSI) and NSSI behavior. We will evaluate whether increased risk for NSSI behavior operates via feelings of loneliness in a within-person mediation model. The introduction, methods, and analysis plan will be postregistred on the Open-Science Framework. Protocol paper of the DAILY project: Kiekens, G., Claes, L., Schoefs, S., Kemme, N. D. F., Luyckx, K., Kleiman, E. M., Nock, M. K., & Myin-Germeys, I. (2023). The Detection of Acute Risk of Self-injury Project: Protocol for an Ecological Momentary Assessment Study Among Individuals Seeking Treatment. JMIR Res Protoc, 12, e46244. https://doi.org/10.2196/46244 Applicants should have the following skills: The project will include an exhaustive review of relevant literature and empirical research and is open to researchers who are interested in clinical research and who have already some experience with more complex modeling approaches (e.g., Dynamic Structural Equation Modelling in Mplus). Junior researcher responsibilities: The researcher will be responsible for writing first drafts of the preregistration and the manuscript. Analyses will be conducted with the support of Dr. Kiekens. Anticipated outcome(s) for junior researcher: We will aim to work towards a conference presentation and publication. Time commitment: Approximately 1 day per week for an academic year Application Deadline: June 1, 2024 Apply Now

Ellie Wildbore from the United Kingdom and National Health Service (NHS) shares her story of lived experience of atypical severe self-injury, her research on self-harm, and her experience as one of the first Lived Experience Research Ambassadors working in NHS mental health. Season 4 | Episode 55 Podcast/ Season 4 | Episode 55 Lived Experience: Ellie's Story of Atypical Severe Self-Harm Nov 29, 2024 Lived Experience: Ellie's Story of Atypical Severe Self-Harm 00:00 / 01:04 In this episode, Ellie from the United Kingdom and National Health Service (NHS) shares her lived experience of atypical severe self-injury while participating in a psychiatric inpatient stay for an acute increase in severity of eating disorder symptoms. She discusses how she has used her experiences as a patient and recipient of mental healthcare in the UK to bring about systemic change, participate as a co-producer and research, and advocate for those with lived experience of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and self-harm. While participating in our interview while in inpatient care, we invite her live-in care provider (i.e., carer), Shami, to join our conversation and offer her own insights. Connect with Ellie on LinkedIn here and on Twitter/X @EllieWildbore or @ elliewildbore.bsky.social . Visit her blog at https://balancingontheborderline.home.blog/ . Here are two links to Ellie being interviewed about lived experience research and her work on YouTube with the Mental Elf: https://youtu.be/HezHKYrF7zM and https://youtu.be/IA91M6fGaQo . Read the pre-print of her article referenced in this episode available for free here . Learn more about Atypical Severe Self-Injury by listening to our episode with Dr. Barry Walsh on the topic from Season 1 here . Previous Next

Rachel Acheson, PhD, and Maria Papadima, PhD, from the Association of Child Psychotherapists in London describe how today's "adolescent crisis," including self-injury and self-harm, is often expressed through mental health language. Season 3 | Episode 39 Podcast/ Season 3 | Episode 39 Youth Crisis, Self-Harm, & Mental Health Language Jul 28, 2023 with Drs. Rachel Acheson & Maria Papadima Youth Crisis, Self-Harm, & Mental Health Language with Drs. Rachel Acheson & Maria Papadima 00:00 / 01:04 Amidst a global youth mental health crisis, is it possible that many young people are experiencing adolescent development challenges but are using mental health language to describe their distress? Even to the degree of experiencing crises that include self-harm like nonsuicidal self-injury and suicidal thoughts and behaviors? In this episode, Drs. Maria Papadima and Rachel Acheson share observations from their clinical work with youth, consider trends such as self-diagnosing through TikTok and Instagram, discuss how they walk parents and youth through these mental health crises, and offer a psychoanalytic perspective of current trends. Learn more about Dr. Papadima and her work at www.mariapapadima.com , and read her blog about "Self-diagnosis via TikTok" here . Below is the reference and link to their paper discussed in this episode: Acheson, R., & Papadima, M. (2023). The search for identity: Working therapeutically with adolescents in crisis . Journal of Child Psychotherapy, 49 (1), 95-119. 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 #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

Jennifer Hughes, PhD, MPH, from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, describes Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) as an intervention for nonsuicidal self-injury and self-harm. Season 1 | Episode 19 Podcast/ Season 1 | Episode 19 Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for Self-Harm Nov 5, 2021 with Dr. Jenny Hughes Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for Self-Harm with Dr. Jenny Hughes 00:00 / 01:04 Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) has been lauded as an evidence-based treatment for addressing suicidal and nonsuicidal thoughts and behaviors. In this episode, Dr. Jenny Hughes explains what DBT is, describes what "dialectical" means, and walks us through how each of the four modules of DBT can be used to address nonsuicidal self-injury and self-harm: (1) Emotion Regulation, (2) Distress Tolerance, (3) Interpersonal Effectiveness, and (4) Mindfulness. She also provides an update on the science behind DBT, including what aspects of the treatment are thought to be most effective in addressing self-injury. To learn more about DBT and opportunities for training in DBT as referenced in this episode, visit Behavioral Tech at https://behavioraltech.org/ . Learn more about Dr. Hughes' work at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center here , and follow her on Twitter at @DrJennyHughes . Watch her 2018 TEDx talk on Resilience: Growth Through Struggle at www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nr44v2__zrU . Below are links to some of her research on DBT among youth: Editorial: Dialectical Behavior Therapy and the Function of Self-Injury (2021) (1) Efficacy of dialectical behavior therapy for adolescents at high risk for suicide: a randomized clinical trial (2018) (2) Predictors and moderators of recurring self-harm in adolescents participating in a comparative treatment trial of psychological interventions (2019) (3) Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Suicidal Self-Harming Youth: Emotion Regulation, Mechanisms, and Mediators (2021). 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 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

Supports Resources / Supports Seeking Support is Self-Care There are a range of supports are available for individuals with lived experience of self-injury and for those who care about /for individuals who self-injure. We have put together a list of possible supports, including printable resource sheets, and links to organisations, advocacy and support groups, books, podcasts, and education. We acknowledge that people have different needs and find benefit in different types of suppo rt. The resources linked below include international charities, not-for-profit groups, work created by or in collaboration with ISSS members, registered charities, an d other resources and online spaces that may be helpful, interesting, or thought provoking. Note. While we have given each page a brief evaluation for appropriateness, the linked pages are not officially "endorsed" by ISSS and they may not be applicable to everyone. Support Type Title URL Education International Consortium on Self-Injury in Schools https://icsesgroup.org/ Online Support Self-Injury Outreach and Support https://sioutreach.org/ Education Shedding Light on Self-Injury https://www.self-injury.org.au/resource Advocacy To Write Love on Her Arms https://twloha.com/ Advocacy The Trevor Project https://www.thetrevorproject.org/ Advocacy Live Through This http://livethroughthis.org/ Podcast The Psychology of Self-Injury https://the-psychology-of-self-injury.simplecast.com/ Podcast Suicide 'n' Stuff https://suicide-n-stuff.com/ Podcast Before You Kill Yourself https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/before-you-kill-yourself/id1446501856 Podcast Psychodrama https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/psychodrama/id1504002821 Book Healing Self-Injury: A Compassionate Guide https://global.oup.com/academic/product/healing-self-injury-9780199391608?cc=us&lang=en& Online Support With Help Comes Hope http://lifelineforattemptsurvivors.org/

2023 - 2024 Home / Collaborative Research Program / Peer responses... Peer responses to self-injury Mentor/s: Imke Baetens 2023 - 2024 Project Overview By exploring the impact of self-injury on peers to whom the behavior has been disclosed we will be closer to understanding peer disclosure reactions, and using this understanding to develop resources for people who self-injure and their peers. This research proposal targets university students who know someone who self-injures (whether this has been voluntary disclosed or not). Quantitative data has been collected at multiple sites (i.e., Belgium, Canada, USA and Australia) through online surveys. Datasets are available using quantitative measures. The junior researcher could contribute by taking the lead in data analyses and contribute to updating the literature review on this subject. Application Deadline: June 11 2023 Apply Now 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

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

Christina Beck, a screenwriter, director, and actress discusses her film "PERFECTION" and what inspired her to create a film in which the protagonist engages in self-injury and self-harm. Season 2 | Episode 26 Podcast/ Season 2 | Episode 26 Self-Injury in Film: "PERFECTION" the Movie Jun 30, 2022 with Actor & Director Christina Beck Self-Injury in Film: "PERFECTION" the Movie with Actor & Director Christina Beck 00:00 / 01:04 Every screenwriter and film director is different and each has their own intentions and motivations, but what goes into the writing of characters who engage in self-injury and self-harm? How are such films inspired, and how do writers and directors choose to frame self-injury content? In this episode, screenwriter, director, and actress Christina Beck discusses her independent feature film "PERFECTION" and what inspired the characters and content of the film. This episode was recorded as a live virtual session held during the 17th annual ISSS Conference on June 24, 2022. To watch PERFECTION (for free), visit perfectionthemovie.wordpress.com and click on "Watch PERFECTION NOW !" Download the movie's free companion workbook here . Please note that some content in the film could be upsetting or triggering, including depictions of self-injury, substance use, and brief flashbacks that allude to sexual abuse. Christina is also a film professor at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, CA. You can follow her on Twitter at @xtinabeck and Facebook at www.facebook.com/perfectionfilm . To review the Media Guidelines for the Responsible Reporting and Depicting of Non-Suicidal Self-Injury published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, click here . You can also visit www.itriples.org/media-guidelines to read the original ISSS white paper and its accompanied infographic. 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

Kathryn Gordon, PhD, from Fargo, North Dakota discusses the relationship between disordered eating and self-harm, how often they co-occur, why they co-occur, and physical pain sensitivity amidst eating disorder behavior and self-injury. Season 2 | Episode 22 Podcast/ Season 2 | Episode 22 Eating Disorders & Self-Harm Feb 25, 2022 with Dr. Katie Gordon Eating Disorders & Self-Harm with Dr. Katie Gordon 00:00 / 01:04 The term "self-harm" is an umbrella term, encompassing a broad range of behaviors, under which is included substance abuse and misuse, suicide, nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), and even eating disorders. In this episode, Dr. Katie Gordon, a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in Fargo, North Dakota, discusses the prevalence of self-injury among individuals with eating disorders and the prevalence of eating disorders among those who self-injure. She explains the relationship between the two behaviors, including common risk factors. Learn more about Dr. Gordon and her work on her website at https://kathrynhgordon.com/ . Follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @DrKathrynGordon . You can purchase her book The Suicidal Thoughts Workbook: CBT Skills to Reduce Emotional Pain, Increase Hope, and Prevent Suicide on Amazon here . Below are links to some of Dr. Gordon's research as well as resources referenced in this episode: Kiekens, G., & Claes, L. (2020). Non-suicidal self-injury and eating disordered behaviors: An update on what we do and do not know . Current Psychiatry Reports, 22 (68). Fox, K. R., Wang, S. B., Boccagno, C., Haynos, A. F., Kleiman, E., & Hooley, J. M. (2019). Comparing self-harming intentions underlying eating disordered behaviors and NSSI: Evidence that distinctions are less clear than assumed . International Journal of Eating Disorders, 52 (5), 564-575. Smith, A. R., et al. (2013). Exercise caution: Over-exercise is associated with suicidality among individuals with disordered eating . Psychiatry Research, 206 (2-3), 246-255. Gordon, K. H., Perez, M., & Joiner, T. E. (2002). The impact of racial stereotypes on eating disorder recognition . International Journal of Eating Disorders, 32 (2), 219-224. 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