Nonsuicidal self-injury, difficulties in emotion regulation, negative urgency, and childhood invalidation: A study with outpatients with eating disorders

Abstract

Objectives Among outpatients with eating disorders (ED), we compared participants without nonsuicidal self-injury (non-NSSI group), with NSSI over a year ago (past NSSI group) and with NSSI in the previous year (current NSSI group) regarding different variables, and examined whether difficulties in emotion regulation and negative urgency moderated the relationship between maternal/paternal invalidation and NSSI. Method The sample included 171 outpatients (94.2% female;M-age = 28.78,SDage = 11.19). Results Fifty-four participants (31.6%) had NSSI in the previous year. This group showed higher eating pathology, difficulties in emotion regulation, negative urgency, and maternal/paternal invalidation than the non-NSSI group. Analyses revealed an adequate fit to the data for the model that included moderating effects of emotional awareness and negative urgency in the relationship between maternal/paternal invalidation and increased likelihood of NSSI in the previous year. Conclusions Interventions for NSSI and ED should include emotion regulation, impulse control, and validation strategies.