Deliberate Self-Harm

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Deliberate self-harm (the deliberate destruction of body tissue without conscious suicidal intent) has been studied extensively in psychiatric and forensic settings. This research has yielded important information about the prevalence and clinical correlates of DSH in patient and prisoner populations. The present research will make several unique contributions to the literature. This project will investigate the prevalence and correlates of DSH in samples not disposed to major forms of psychopathology that could confound results, analyze both normal and pathological personality traits in addition to the Axis I disorders typically studied, assess these variables using both self- and peer- reports, and develop a measure for studying the phenomenology and psychological functions of DSH. Participants will be 2,006 Air Force recruits (AF), and 1,900 college students (CS). Previous research and preliminary analyses indicate that this sample contains approximately 250 self-harmers (4% AF, 10% CS). Participants who do and do not report a history of DSH will be compared on demographic, clinical, and personality variables. A subset of college students who self-harm (n=120) will be administered a measure of DSH designed to assess: the types of self-harm performed (e.g., cutting, burning), the co-morbidity of these types, frequency of DSH episodes, age of onset, emotion_ preceding, accompanying, and following an episode, consequences (both positive and negative) of self-harming, and reasons for engaging in DSH. These data will contribute substantially to our knowledge of the prevalence, correlates phenomenology, and functions of DSH, as well as encourage and facilitate future research on this behavior.