Body image as a mediator of non-suicidal self-injury in adolescents

Author: Muehlenkamp, J.J.; Brausch, A.M.

Description: Attitudes towards the body have been largely overlooked as a potential risk factor for adolescent non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) despite theorizing that a negative body image may play a critical role in the development of this behavior. The current study used structural equation modeling to evaluate the fit of a theoretical model specifying body image as a mediator between negative affect and NSSI in a combined clinical and non-clinical sample of 284 adolescents. The data supported the model, accounted for 21.6% of the variance in NSSI, and body image significantly mediated the relationship between negative affect and NSSI. These findings provide essential preliminary evidence that body image may represent a necessary but not sufficient risk factor for NSSI in adolescents and that treatment for NSSI should consider targeting body-related pathology in addition to emotion regulation. The findings also support including body image within developing etiological models of NSSI.

Subject Headings: Body image; Adolescents; Self-injury

Subject headings:

Publication year: 2012

Journal or book title: Journal of Adolescence

Volume: 35

Issue: 1

Pages: 1-9

Find the full text : https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140197111000716

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Type: Journal Article

Serial number: 2297