Citation

Dawson K, Deane FP, Miller LM. Curr. Psychol. 2024; 43(17): 15771-15786.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2024, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s12144-023-05492-2

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

We examined the relationship between pre-existing beliefs regarding the functions of self-harm and helping/discriminatory responses in an undergraduate sample (N = 237). Helping and discriminatory responses to self-harm were compared with an existing psychophysical measure that generated thresholds for helping intentions based on the frequency of self-harm behaviors (scratches) presented (Turner et al. in Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 2021). Participants viewed one of three vignettes depicting self-harm as either hidden or displayed with a third control condition where no information about the self-harm was provided (control). The vignettes aimed to infer either an interpersonal (displayed) or intrapersonal (hidden) motivation (vs the control). Participants completed questionnaires assessing responses towards the vignette, help-seeking attitudes, beliefs about the functions of self-harm, and a computer-based task assessing helping-intentions for self-harm.

RESULTS indicated that stronger endorsement of self-harm having interpersonal functions were related to more discriminatory responses. Conversely, endorsement of intrapersonal functions were related to less discriminatory responses. Participants' responses to self-harm were consistent with the attribution model of stigma (Corrigan et al. in Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 44(2), 162-179, 2003), and components of a parallel 'danger-appraisal' hypothesis wherein discriminatory responses related to perceptions of dangerousness are mediated by fear, rather than personal responsibility beliefs. Differences in thresholds and helping/discriminatory responses between vignette conditions were not significant. Participants' thresholds were not significantly correlated with other measures of help-seeking attitudes or helping/discriminatory responses. These results suggest that beliefs regarding the functions of self-harm account for significant variance in helping and discriminatory responses to self-harm. Implications for future research are discussed.

Language: en

Keywords

Attribution model; Functions; Public stigma; Self-harm