Citation

Lewis SP, Rosenrot SA, Santor DA. Can. J. Behav. Sci. 2011; 43(1): 20-29.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Canadian Psychological Association, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1037/a0022076

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The present study was conducted to investigate a Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) model, which integrated social-cognitive and symptom variables as predictors of self-harm intent. Participants were 62 young adults with a history of self-harm who completed a series of online questionnaires to investigate the role of depressive symptoms and TPB components as predictors of self-harm intent. Social-cognitive variables predicted unique variance in self-harm intent after controlling for depressive symptoms. Specifically, more favourable attitudes toward self-harm and a lack of perceived behaviour control at the time of self-harm were unique predictors of intent. In the context of more frequent self-harm, attitudes remained a significant and unique predictor of self-harm intent. Favourable attitudes toward self-harm and a lack of perceived control at the time it occurred partially mediate the relation between depressive symptoms and self-harm intent.

FINDINGS provide preliminary support for a self-harm model comprising symptom and social-cognitive variables.

RESULTS offer new avenues for future research, highlight conceptual issues, and suggest several clinical implications. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Keywords

Intention; Major Depression; Nonsuicidal Self-Injury; Planned Behavior; Prediction; Symptoms