Physiological arousal, distress tolerance, and social problem-solving deficits among adolescent self-injurers.

• DOI: 10.1037/0022-006x.76.1.28
• Publication Date: 2008-01-29T14:31:37Z
• Authors: Matthew K. Nock; Wendy Berry Mendes
• Keywords: Reactivity

It has been suggested that people engage in nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) because they (a) experience heightened physiological arousal following stressful events and use NSSI to regulate experienced distress (b) have deficits their social problem-solving skills interfere with the performance of more adaptive responses. However, objective behavioral data supporting this model are lacking. The authors compared adolescent self-injurers (n = 62) noninjurers 30) found showed higher reactivity (skin conductance) during a distressing task, poorer ability tolerate distress, several abilities. These findings highlight importance attending increased arousal, tolerance, assessment treatment NSSI.