Investigating the Role of Self-Disgust in Nonsuicidal Self-Injury

Abstract

Self-directed disgust, a component of self-criticism, may present an important, yet unexplored emotion in the context of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). The aim of this study was to examine the role of self-disgust in NSSI, specifically as a potential mediator in the relations between depression and NSSI as well as sexual abuse and NSSI, and to also better understand characteristics that might differentiate recent and past self-injurers. A total of 549 college students completed measures assessing NSSI, self-disgust, depression, anxiety sensitivity, and physical and sexual abuse. Results indicated self-disgust fully mediated the relation between depressive symptoms and NSSI status and partially mediated the relation between sexual abuse and NSSI status. Additionally, compared to past self-injurers (4.6%; n = 25), recent self-injurers (6.4%; n = 35) endorsed significantly higher self-disgust and depressive symptoms. Self-disgust may be an important component in NSSI and should be addressed in treatment.

Keywords:

• depression
• nonsuicidal self-injury
• physical abuse
• self-disgust
• sexual abuse

Notes

¹Although gender was included because there appears to be differences in NSSI depending on gender (Bakken & Gunter, 2012), the analyses were rerun without gender. The exclusion of gender as a covariate did not change the significance of the direction of the results.

²Inclusion of these covariates did not affect the results. All of the mediation models remained significant when the analyses were rerun removing each of these variables (physical abuse and anxiety sensitivity).