Nonsuicidal self-injury as an affect-regulation strategy and the moderating role of impulsivity

Rossella Di Pierro; Irene Sarno; Marcello Gallucci; Fabio Madeddu

doi:10.1111/camh.12063

Nonsuicidal self-injury as an affect-regulation strategy and the moderating role of impulsivity

Child Adolesc Ment Health. 2014 Nov;19(4):259-264. doi: 10.1111/camh.12063. Epub 2014 Apr 18.

Authors

Rossella Di Pierro¹, Irene Sarno¹, Marcello Gallucci¹, Fabio Madeddu¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza dell'Ateneo Nuovo 1, Milan, 20126, Italy.

PMID: 32878353
DOI: 10.1111/camh.12063

Abstract

Background: Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is used to cope with negative affect states. We investigated the association between impulsivity and this affect-regulation process.

Method: Affect states associated with NSSI and impulsivity traits were evaluated in 30 Italian adolescent self-injurers (63.3% female, mean age = 16.63, SD = 0.56).

Results: Nonsuicidal self-injury was associated with decreases in affective arousal, but impulsivity moderated other affective changes. High impulsivity was associated with increases in negative high-arousal affects after NSSI, whereas low impulsivity was associated with increases in positive affects after NSSI.

Conclusion: Impulsivity traits influenced the success or failure of the NSSI affect-regulation process.

Keywords: Nonsuicidal self-injury; adolescence; affect-regulation; impulsivity.