Document Type
Article
Publication Date
10-7-2024
Publication Title
British Journal of Clinical Psychology
Abstract
Objectives We examine correlates and predictors for implicit associations with non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) with the Self-Injury Implicit Association Test (SI-IAT) in a treatment-seeking sample. We also examine group differences in the SI-IAT among those with low/none, moderate and high/clinically significant borderline personality disorder (BPD) symptomatology in a treatment-seeking sample.
Methods Participants (N = 111; 58% female; 89% White; Mage = 30.25) completed the SI-IAT and self-report measures at two time points.
Results Higher BPD symptom scores were significantly, positively correlated with implicit identification with NSSI, and predicted NSSI identity when controlling for depression indices, history of NSSI and other covariates. With Time 1 SI-IAT scores entered as a covariate, BPD scores no longer significantly predicted Time 2 SI-IAT scores. Individuals with moderate and high/clinically significant symptom counts of BPD had higher/stronger implicit associations with NSSI identity than those with no/low BPD symptoms.
Conclusions Individuals with symptoms of BPD may implicitly identify with NSSI more than other clinical groups; examination of implicit assessments in BPD in future research is needed to further explore implicit identification with NSSI in this patient group to further understand both cross-sectional and prospective relations.
Keywords
Self-Injury Implicit Association Test (SI-IAT), Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), implicit identity
DOI
10.1111/bjc.12506
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Rights
Licensed to Smith College and distributed CC-BY 4.0 under the Smith College Faculty Open Access Policy.
Recommended Citation
Jarvi Steele, Stephanie; Jaffe, Nigel M.; Kelly, Claire A.; Björgvinsson, Thröstur; and Swenson, Lance P., "Implicit Associations with Non-Suicidal Self-Injury: Examination in a Clinical Sample by Borderline Personality Symptomatology" (2024). Psychology: Faculty Publications, Smith College, Northampton, MA.
https://scholarworks.smith.edu/psy_facpubs/223
Comments
Peer reviewed accepted manuscript.