Citation

Lietzau SB, Dardis CM. Violence Vict. 2024; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2024, Springer Publishing)

DOI

10.1891/VV-2021-0173

PMID

39019568

Abstract

While prior research has studied associations between child abuse and nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), there is limited research assessing unwanted pursuit behavior (UPB) victimization and NSSI. In addition, few studies have assessed the self-reported functions of NSSI among survivors of violence. Among a sample of 18-25-year-old young adults (N = 333), both UPB victimization and child abuse were significantly associated with NSSI frequency. In regression models, UPB victimization was associated with increased use of affect regulation, antidissociation/feeling-generation, self-punishment, and antisuicide functions, while child abuse was associated only with antidissociation/feeling-generation and self-punishment. Affect regulation mediated the association between UPB victimization and NSSI frequency, but not the association between child victimization and NSSI frequency. Implications for research and clinical practice will be discussed.

Language: en

Keywords

nonsuicidal self-injury; affect regulation; childhood abuse; unwanted pursuit behaviors