Relationships between non-suicidal self-injury and other maladaptive behaviors: Beyond difficulties in emotion regulation

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) co-occurs with both other maladaptive behaviors (e.g., aggression) and emotion dysregulation. However, the extent to which these maladaptive behaviors are linked to NSSI independent of emotion dysregulation is unclear. The present study examined relationships between NSSI and six other maladaptive behaviors among university undergraduates. When controlling for demographic variables, emotion dysregulation, and other maladaptive behaviors, binge eating, purging, illicit drug use, and physical aggression were each related to lifetime NSSI history and/or severity. No maladaptive behaviors were significantly related to the presence of current diagnostic-level NSSI in these multivariate analyses. Results suggest that some maladaptive behaviors may relate uniquely to NSSI risk independent of emotion dysregulation, highlighting the importance of considering such behaviors in self-injury assessment and treatment.