Social stressors, emotional responses, and NSSI urges and behaviors in daily life

Background: The defective self model of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) theorizes that individuals who are highly self-critical are more likely to choose NSSI to regulate emotions. This model indirectly suggests that individuals who engage in NSSI may experience more self-conscious emotions in response to negative social feedback, increasing risk for near-term NSSI. This study examined (1) whether individuals with a history of NSSI (vs. without) display greater self-conscious and negative emotional reactions to daily social stressors, and more problematic features of these daily social stressors, and (2) whether greater-than-usual negative emotional reactions and social stressor features predict NSSI urges and behaviors in daily life.Methods: Participants were 134 female college students with recent, recurrent NSSI (n = 77) or no NSSI history (n = 57). Participants completed baseline measures of socioemotional functioning and a two-week daily diary protocol.Results: The NSSI (vs. no NSSI) group reported significantly greater self-conscious and negative emotional reactions to daily social stressors, and social stressors characterized by greater dysfunction. In the NSSI group, experiencing social stressors characterized by greater distress than one's average during the daily diary period was associated with same-day NSSI urges and behavior, greater confusion than one's average predicted same-day NSSI urges, and greater conflict than one's average predicted same-day NSSI behavior. Greater self-conscious and negative emotional reactions to these stressors than one's average predicted same-day NSSI urges and behavior. Limitations: Limitations include reliance on self-report, a once-daily assessment, and lack of generalizability to other samples.Conclusions: Interpersonal conflict and increased self-conscious emotions pose vulnerability for NSSI. Prevention and intervention efforts would benefit from including a focus on interpersonal functioning.

Automated summary

This study found that individuals with a history of NSSI displayed more severe daily social stress, self-consciousness, and negative emotional reactions compared to those without NSSI history. It also revealed that the level of negative emotional reactions and social stressor features predicted daily NSSI urges and behaviors. These findings emphasize the importance of addressing interpersonal functioning in the prevention and intervention of NSSI.