Psychopathological and Interactive-Relational Characteristics in Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Adolescent Outpatients

Abstract

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is described as behaviors that directly and intentionally inflict damage to body tissue without suicidal intent and for reasons not linked to cultural expecta-tions or norms. Literature has confirmed several “specific risk factors” related to NSSI behaviors; emotional reactivity, internalizing problems, alexithymia traits, and maladaptive family functioning can predispose an individual to intrapersonal and interpersonal vulnerabilities related to difficulties in regulating one’s own cognitive-emotional experience. The present study aims to analyze and define the psychopathological and family interactive-relational characteristics of adolescents with NSSI through a case-control study. Thirty-one patients with NSSI and thirty-one patients without NSSI paired for sex, age, and psychiatric diagnosis (ICD-10) were recruited in Padua among two Child Neuropsychiatry Units before the COVID-19 pandemic. Results show a higher prevalence of internalizing problems, alexithymia trait related to “difficulty identifying feelings”, and lower quality of family functioning related to inclusion of partners, child involvement, and child self-regulation. These results carry significant implications for the clinical management and therapeutic care of non-suicidal self-injury patients and further confirm the need for an in-depth investigation of internalizing problems, alexithymia, and quality of family interactions.