Thoughts, images, and appraisals associated with acting and not acting on the urge to self-injure.
Abstract
Objectives The aim of this study was to examine the frequency, content, and appraisals of thoughts and images occurring during urges to engage in non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI).Method Undergraduates (N = 154) with a history of NSSI completed an online survey of their thoughts, images, and appraisals when they acted on urges to engage in NSSI as well as when they resisted urges to self-injure.Results Most (>90%) participants reported experiencing both thoughts and images during urges to engage in NSSI. During urges that resulted in self-injury, self-critical and hopeless thoughts were most distressing, and thoughts about relief from emotional distress were most comforting. Images of the anticipated injury were most common. During urges that did not result in self-injury themes of the futility of NSSI, positive self-talk, and the impact on others were most common. Images were most frequently of the negative impact on self and others, and the anticipated injury. Appraisals encouraging NSSI occurred when individuals did and did not act on their urges, but concurrent strong discouraging appraisals appeared to be protective on occasions when urges did not result in self-injury.Limitations Retrospective self-report was used to assess cognitive content. Generalisability of findings to non-student samples needs to be assessed.Conclusions Findings from this study may inform comprehensive assessment of thoughts and images associated with urges to engage in NSSI. NSSI interventions may need to promote thoughts, imagery and appraisals that discourage NSSI whilst simultaneously modifying cognitions that encourage NSSI.
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This does not account for the role of imagery in cases when it deters individuals from engaging in self-harm or attempting suicide.
“However, this does not account for the role of imagery in cases when it deters individuals from engaging in self-harm or attempting suicide (Hales et al., 2011; McEvoy et al., 2017).”
From The Psychological Pathway to Suicide Attempts: A Strategy of Control Without Awareness (2021) · cites this paper as McEvoy et al., 2017
Both ideators and attempters experience suicide imagery, and imagery deters some individuals from engaging in self-harm and attempting suicide.
“The role of these images may be complex in suicide, since both ideators and attempters experience suicide imagery, and imagery deters some individuals from engaging in self-harm and attempting suicide (Hales et al., 2011; McEvoy et al., 2017).”
From The Psychological Pathway to Suicide Attempts: A Strategy of Control Without Awareness (2021) · cites this paper as McEvoy et al., 2017
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The Psychological Pathway to Suicide Attempts: A Strategy of Control Without Awareness
Macintyre, V. G., Mansell, W., Pratt, D., & Tai, S. J. (2021) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.588683 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
“If the use of strategies to cope with this loss of control, such as taking drugs, drinking alcohol, or engaging in experiential avoidance, reduce an individual’s distress on a short-term basis, they may continue using these strategies (Mansell and McEvoy, 2017).”
BackgroundInfluential
- Authors
- McEvoy, P. M., Hayes, S., Hasking, P. A., & Rees, C. S.
- Affiliations
- Curtin University (AU)
- Corresponding author
- McEvoy, Peter M.
- Venue
- Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2017-12
- Volume
- 57
- Pages
- 163-171
- ISSN
- 0005-7916 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2620945071
- Cited by
- 34
- References
- 57
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 1
- FWCI
- 3.38
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- eSpace (Curtin University) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Disorders and Psychopathology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Keywords
- non-suicidal self-injury, self-injurious thoughts, mental imagery, cognitive appraisal, self-criticism, hopelessness, emotional relief, positive self-talk
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Analysis of Variance, Emotions, Female, Humans, Imagination, Male, Middle Aged, Surveys and Questionnaires, Students, Universities, Self-Injurious Behavior, Young Adult, Suicidal Ideation
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