Emotion profiles of university students engaging in non-suicidal self-injury: Association with functions of self-injury and other mental health concerns

A pilot study examining hemomania behaviors in psychiatry outpatients engaged with nonsuicidal self-injury

BACKGROUND

This study aims to conduct the first-ever evaluation of our previously proposed behaviors of "hemomania" in individuals engaged with nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI).

METHODS

The study encompassed 130 outpatients engaged with NSSI who applied at the psychiatry outpatient clinic. NSSI behaviors were assessed using the Inventory of Statements About Self-Injury, while psychiatric diagnoses were evaluated using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 Disorders-Clinician Version. Subsequently, participants completed the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 and Short Form of Barratt Impulsiveness Scale.

RESULTS

The prevalence of at least one hemomania behavior including seeing blood, tasting blood, bloodletting, and blood-drinking was observed to be 43.1% in individuals with NSSI. When participants were divided into two groups, individuals with hemomania exhibited: (1) a higher incidence of psychiatric comorbidities, increased suicide attempts, and more severe symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, and impulsivity, (2) higher comorbidity rates of borderline personality disorder, body-focused repetitive behaviors, and dissociative disorders, and (3) elevated frequencies of certain NSSI behaviors, including cutting, biting, needle-ticking, and carving, compared to those without.

CONCLUSION

Hemomania could be considered a specific impulse control disorder, characterized by heightened impulsivity and a persistent urge to obtain one's own blood. However, further studies are needed to validate this hypothesis.

Understanding the subtypes of non-suicidal self-injury: A new conceptual framework based on a systematic review

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a significant public health problem, but there is no consistent evidence of its risk factors. One possibility is that there are subtypes NSSI that have different risk factors and clinical symptoms. In this review we evaluated the evidence of subtypes to determine if there were consistent subtypes of NSSI that emerged across studies. Four databases (Medline; Embase; PsycINFO; Web of Science) were searched to identify studies that used data-driven approaches and were published before November 9, 2022. There were 21 studies with 23 unique samples for review. Most of the included studies used NSSI symptoms or personal characteristics as the subtyping indicators, revealing 2-5 subtypes of NSSI. Variations in subtyping indicators, sample characteristics, and statistical methods may have contributed to the inconsistent number and characteristics of subtypes across studies. A new conceptual framework is proposed to integrate these diverse findings, highlighting the important roles of NSSI function and psychological pain in differentiating NSSI subtypes. This framework sheds light on the differences among self-injurers and offers insights for future endeavors to address the complexities of NSSI.

The impact of perceived life stress and online social support on university students' mental health during the post-COVID era in Northwestern China: gender-specific analysis

BACKGROUND

Before the pandemic, research had already established the potential impact of perceived life stress and social support on the mental health status of Chinese students. However, in the Post-COVID Era, the specific mechanisms linking these variables and the distinct role of online social support remain relatively unexplored.

METHODS

After the cessation of China's dynamic zeroing policy, a total of 1180 university students from Northwestern China participated in this study by completing a demographic questionnaire, as well as self-report measures assessing mental health, perceived life stress, and online social support.

RESULTS

Approximately 25% of students exhibited psychological symptoms. When examining different categories of perceived life stress, males reported experiencing a significantly greater impact in terms of punishment and interpersonal relationships compared to females. Females experienced significantly higher levels of learning pressure compared to males. Specific types of perceived life stress were found to be significant predictors of students' mental health status. Moreover, online social support was identified as a significant moderator in the relationship between all types of perceived life stress and mental health, irrespective of gender.

CONCLUSION

Our study findings unveiled two significant aspects: Firstly, the impact of perceived life stress on the mental health of students was identified as a risk factor. Secondly, the role of online social support emerged as a protective factor, particularly in the post-pandemic context. Additionally, gender-specific patterns were observed in these relationships.

Emotional subtypes in patients with depression: A cluster analysis

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with deficits in emotion experience, expression and regulation. Whilst emotion regulation deficits prolong MDD, emotion expression influences symptomatic presentations, and anticipatory pleasure deficits predict recurrence risk. Profiling MDD patients from an emotion componential perspective can characterize subtypes with different clinical and functional outcomes. This study aimed to investigate emotional subtypes of MDD. A two-stage cluster analysis applied to 150 MDD patients. Clustering variables included emotion experience measured by Temporal Experience of Pleasure Scale, emotion expression measured by Toronto Alexithymia Scale, and emotion regulation measured by Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. We validated the resultant clusters by comparing their symptoms and functioning with that of 50 controls. Cluster 1 (n = 50) exhibited intact emotion experience and expression yet adopted reappraisal rather than suppression strategy, whereas Cluster 2 (n = 66) exhibited generalized emotional deficits. Cluster 3 (n = 34) exhibited emotion expression deficits and adopted both reappraisal and suppression strategies. On validation, Cluster 2 exhibited the worst, but Cluster 1 exhibited the least symptoms and social functioning impairments. Cluster 3 was intermediate among the two other subtypes. Our findings support the existence of different emotional subtypes in MDD patients, and have clinical and theoretical implications for developing future specific treatments for MDD.

Joint Contributions of Depression and Insufficient Sleep to Self-Harm Behaviors in Chinese College Students: A Population-Based Study in Jiangsu, China

Self-harm in young people is common, and previous studies have shown that insufficient sleep or depression was associated with self-harm. However, the joint association of insufficient sleep and depression with self-harm is unknown. We employed representative population-based data from the "Surveillance for Common Disease and Health Risk Factors Among Students in Jiangsu Province 2019" project. College students reported their self-harm behavior over the past year. Rate ratios (RRs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for self-harm in relation to sleep and depression were modeled using negative binomial regression with a sample population as an offset, adjusting for age, gender, and region. The instrumental variable approach was used for the sensitivity analyses. Of the study population, approximately 3.8% reported self-harm behaviors. Students with sufficient sleep experienced a lower risk of self-harm than those with insufficient sleep. Compared with students with sufficient sleep and the absence of depression, the adjusted risk of self-harm was elevated 3-fold (1.46-4.51) in those reporting insufficient sleep in the absence of depression, 11-fold (6.26-17.77) in those with sufficient sleep and definite depression, and 15-fold (8.54-25.17) in those with both insufficient sleep and definite depression. The sensitivity analyses indicate that insufficient sleep remained a contributing risk factor for self-harm. Lack of sleep in young people is significantly associated with self-harm, particularly in the presence of depression. The provision of mental health care and attention to sleep deprivation are particularly important for college students.

Characterizing emotion profiles in non‐clinical population: A cluster analytical study

Emotion processing and beliefs about pleasure can influence the development and severity of depressive symptoms. This cluster analysis study aimed to profile a large sample of college students using pleasure experience, emotion expression and regulation as well as beliefs about pleasure. We also aimed to validate the resultant clusters in terms of depressive symptoms. A set of checklists capturing beliefs about pleasure and the three facets of emotion processing was administered to 1028 college students. A two-stage cluster analysis was used to analyze the profile of these emotional aspects in these college students. Our results showed that a three-cluster solution best fit the data. Cluster 1 (n = 536) was characterized by moderate levels of beliefs about pleasure, pleasure experience, emotion expression, and regulation; Cluster 2 (n = 402) was characterized by generally high levels of beliefs about pleasure, pleasure experience, emotion expression, and regulation; Cluster 3 (n = 90) was characterized by relatively low levels of beliefs about pleasure, pleasure experience, emotion expression, and regulation. The three clusters differed significantly in the severity of depressive symptoms. Our findings suggest the existence of three emotional subtypes, which may be useful in early detection of youth at risk of developing depression.

The Impact of Self-Consistency Congruence on Non-Suicidal Self-Injury in College Students: The Mediating Role of Negative Emotion and the Moderating Role of Gender

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) can be defined as the deliberate destruction of body tissues to generate harm. College students have a higher incidence of NSSI. With the deepening of research on college students' NSSI, the connection between their self-consistency congruence and NSSI has drawn the attention of many scholars. The current study examined the association between self-concordance and NSSI, the mediating function of negative emotions, and the moderating role of gender. We surveyed 1020 college students from three universities in Jiangxi Province using a self-concordant scale, a NSSI questionnaire, and a negative emotion questionnaire. The results showed that self-concordance was negatively correlated with NSSI. There is an obvious negative connection between self-consistency congruence and negative emotions. There was a significant positive correlation between negative emotions and the NSSI scores. Negative emotions could mediate the association between self-consistency congruence and NSSI. Compared to males, females' self-concordant effects on negative emotions are easier to moderate.