The Reinforcing Properties of Repeated Deliberate Self-Harm

The current study tested hypotheses derived from Joiner's ( 2005 ) interpersonal theory of suicide, which proposes that deliberate self-harm (DSH) becomes increasingly more reinforcing with repetition. One hundred six participants with a history of DSH completed questionnaires about their emoti...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Archives of suicide research 2010-01, Vol.14 (4), p.329-341
Main Authors: Gordon, Kathryn H., Selby, Edward A., Anestis, Michael D., Bender, Theodore W., Witte, Tracy K., Braithwaite, Scott, Van Orden, Kimberly A., Bresin, Konrad, Joiner, Thomas E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Behavioral Research
Causality
Clinical psychology
Deliberate self-harm
Emotions
Female
Humans
Injuries
Interpersonal theories
Male
opponent process theory
Pain
Pain - diagnosis
Pain - psychology
Pain Measurement - psychology
Predictions
Property
Psychoanalytic Theory
Psychological aspects
Questionnaires
Repetition
Secondary Prevention
Self destructive behavior
Self-Injurious Behavior - epidemiology
Self-Injurious Behavior - prevention & control
Self-Injurious Behavior - psychology
self-injury
Selfinjury
Studies
suicidal behavior
Suicide
Suicide, Attempted - prevention & control
Suicide, Attempted - psychology
Surveys and Questionnaires
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Summary:The current study tested hypotheses derived from Joiner's ( 2005 ) interpersonal theory of suicide, which proposes that deliberate self-harm (DSH) becomes increasingly more reinforcing with repetition. One hundred six participants with a history of DSH completed questionnaires about their emotions and experience of physical pain during their most recent DSH episode. Consistent with prediction, people with more numerous past DSH episodes felt more soothed, more relieved, and calmer following their most recent episode of DSH. Contrary to prediction, greater numbers of past DSH episodes were associated with more intense physical pain during the most recent episode. The findings suggest that the emotion regulation functions of DSH may become more reinforcing with repetition.
ISSN:1381-1118
1543-6136
DOI:10.1080/13811118.2010.524059