Comparison of Patterns of Non-suicidal Self-Injury and Emotion Dysregulation Across Mood Disorder Subtypes

Non-suicidal self-injury in adolescents with mood disorders and the roles of self-compassion and emotional regulation

Objective

We aimed to investigate the characteristics and psychological mechanism of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) in adolescents with mood disorders. We examined how self-compassion and emotional regulation affected NSSI and tested the mediating role of self-compassion in the link between emotional regulation and NSSI.

Method

We recruited outpatient and inpatient adolescent patients with bipolar and related disorders or depressive disorders (DSM-5), with a focus on NSSI. We also recruited healthy controls from the community. We collected demographic and clinical data. The Adolescent Self-injury Questionnaire, Self-compassion Scale (SCS), and Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) were used to assess the frequency and severity of NSSI, level of self-compassion, and emotional regulation.

Results

In total, we recruited 248 adolescent patients with mood disorders (N = 196 with NSSI, and 52 without NSSI) and 212 healthy controls. NSSI was significantly associated with the female sex, lower levels of education and less use of cognitive reappraisal strategies, lower levels of self-warmth, and higher levels of self-coldness. Multivariate analysis of variance showed that there were significant differences in the scores of ERQ, cognitive reassessment score, and the scores of SCS among the three groups, but no statistical differences in expressive suppression score among the three groups. Self-warmth had a mediating effect between cognitive reappraisal and NSSI behavior.

Conclusion

NSSI is prevalent among adolescent patients with mood disorders in clinical settings, especially among girls and those with lower levels of education and less cognitive reappraisal strategies. More clinical attention is needed. Self-compassion and its factors may mediate the association between emotional regulation and NSSI. Clinical implications and future research directions were discussed.

Relations of Childhood Trauma and Emotional Dysregulation with Suicide Ideation and Suicidal Behaviour Severity in a Clinical Sample of Depressive Female Adolescents

Objective: This study aimed to explore the aspects of emotional dysregulation (ED) and childhood trauma (CT) which are associated with suicide ideation (SI) and suicidal behaviour (SB) severity in depressive female adolescents who previously attempted suicide. Method : In this cross-sectional study, we evaluated SI and SB severity. The Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) was administered to 80 depressive female patients who had suicide attempts within the last month. Current suicide ideation (C-SI) and total score (C-TS), lifetime- suicide ideation (L-SI), and total score (L-TS) were obtained with the C-SSRS. Patients were recruited from five different provinces in Turkey. Additionally, the patients completed the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). The Pearson correlation test and a multiple linear regression analysis were used to determine variables predictive of suicide scores. Results: The results of multiple linear regression analysis indicated that the BDI and DERS - total scores explained 35% (adjusted R) of the variance in C-SI ((F (2;67) = 19.61, P < 0.001). C-TS was explained by 'BDI,' 'emotional neglect' and 'DERS impulse' (38% (adjusted R) (F (3;66) = 15.15, P < 0.001). L-SI was only associated with DERS strategies (explains 13% (adjusted R) of the variance in L-SI (F (1;68) = 10.411, P = 0.02). Concerning the C-SSRS L-TS, the DERS impulse and CTQ total accounted for 24% (adjusted R) of the variance (F (2;67) = 10.620, P < 0.001). Conclusion: The results of our study suggest that adolescents who have experienced emotional neglect and depressive symptoms are more at risk for suicidal ideation and behaviour. In addition, depressed adolescents who show impulsive behaviours and restricted emotional strategies are also at risk. Identifying neglected depressed adolescents and teaching impulse control and effective emotional strategies is important for the prevention of suicidal behaviours and thoughts.

Non-suicidal self-injury: A bibliometrics study and visualization analysis from 2002 to 2022

OBJECTIVE

To overview the research actuality and offer the hotspots and cutting-edge issues in the field of Non-suicidal Self-injury (NSSI) by using bibliometric analysis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Publications related to NSSI from 2002 to 2022 were extracted from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database. CiteSpace V 6.1.R2 and VOSviewer 1.6.18 were used to visually analyzed institutions, countries, journals, authors, references, and keywords in research on NSSI.

RESULTS

A total of 799 studies about NSSI were analyzed via CiteSpace and VOSviewer. The number of annual publications related to NSSI is fluctuating growth. The USA and Harvard University are the most productive country and institutions. In the case of journals and co-cited journals, Psychiatry Research are the most productive journal and also ranked highest among co-cited journals. Furthermore, Michael Kaess has published the most publications, and Matthew K. Nock is the most cited author. An article published by Swannell SV et al. shows the highest citation counts. After analysis, the most common keywords are harm, adolescents and prevalence. The gender difference, diagnosis, and dysregulation are frontier areas of NSSI research.

CONCLUSION

This study analyzed the research of NSSI from multiple perspectives, and provides valuable information for researchers to capture the current status, hot spots, and frontier trends of NSSI.