Nonsuicidal self-injury and suicide: Differences between those with and without borderline personality disorder

Abstract

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is associated with borderline personality disorder (BPD), but it also occurs in nonclinical samples (Briere & Gil, 1998), inflicting serious harm and serving as a precursor to suicide attempts (Klonsky, May, & Glenn, 2013). Therefore, the DSM-5 proposed a nonsuicidal self-injury disorder (NSSID) and suicidal behavior disorder. Because this addition requires reconciliation with current BPD criteria, the authors’ study evaluated type and frequency of NSSI and suicide attempts in 3,795 outpatients. Both were found in those without BPD, although the behaviors increased when some symptoms and full criteria for BPD were met. Wound/skin picking, scratching, and hitting were most common. Cutting was the fifth most common self-injury for those with BPD and the eighth most common for those without the disorder. Therefore, increased clinical attention is warranted for such self-injury, which may go unnoticed but indicate significant distress. Findings suggest that NSSID/suicidal behavior disorder may account for self-injury outside of BPD.