Male eating disorder patients with and without non-suicidal self-injury: a comparison of psychopathological and personality features

Abstract

In the present study, we investigated the prevalence and comorbidity of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) in male eating disorder (ED) patients. In total, 130 male ED patients completed a list of 10 impulse-control problems (including NSSI), the Eating Disorder Inventory-2, the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised and the Temperament and Character Inventory. Overall, 21% of the male ED patients (n = 27) engaged in at least one type of NSSI, and we did not find significant differences between the ED subtypes. Self-injurious male ED patients showed significantly more severe ED symptoms and more affective, interpersonal and impulse-control problems than ED patients without NSSI. As previously described in female ED, our data confirm the affect regulation and impulse regulation functions of NSSI in male ED patients.