Citation

Ammerman BA, Jacobucci R, McCloskey MS. Psychol. Violence 2018; 8(4): 515-525.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, American Psychological Association)

DOI

10.1037/vio0000146

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) has been linked to many adverse outcomes, with more frequent NSSI increasing the likelihood of impairment, severity, and more serious self-harming behavior (e.g., suicidality). Despite the determined importance of NSSI frequency in understanding the severity of one's behavior, there is still a need to identify which constructs may be influential in predicting frequency. The current study aimed to fill this gap by identifying which correlates are most important in relation to NSSI frequency through 2 exploratory data mining methods.

METHOD: Seven hundred twelve undergraduate students with a history of NSSI completed self-report measures of NSSI behavior, suicidality, cognitive-affective deficits, and psychopathology symptomology.

RESULTS: Both exploratory data mining methods--lasso regression and random forests--demonstrated number of NSSI methods to be the factor with the most importance in relation to lifetime NSSI frequency. Once this variable was removed, suicide plan and depressive symptomology were significant correlates across methods.

CONCLUSIONS: The current findings support the literature concerning the relationship between NSSI frequency and NSSI methods but also implicate suicide plans, an often-overlooked factor, and depression in NSSI severity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved)

Language: en

Keywords

Alcohol Drinking Patterns; Anxiety; Attempted Suicide; Borderline Personality Disorder; Data Mining; Emotional Regulation; Emotional Responses; Impulsiveness; Major Depression; Psychopathology; Risk Factors; Self-Injurious Behavior; Suicidal Ideation; Symptoms; Threat