Kerryn L. Brain

The psychophysiology of self-mutilation: Evidence of tension reduction

Psychophysiological and psychological arousal patterns of individuals who self-mutilate during imaged self-mutilation were examined. Imaged control events (accidental injury, anger, neutral) were compared between self-mutilation and control groups. Personalised guided imagery scripts were presented in four stages: scene setting, approach, incident, and consequence. Results depicted a decrease in psychophysiological arousal when self-mutilation participants imaged cutting themselves. A decrease in psychological response was not evident until after cutting. Responses to self-mutilation imagery were different from those demonstrated during control imagery. A comparison of responses to self-mutilation imagery between past and currently self-mutilating participants indicated no difference in the psychophysiological arousal patterns to self-mutilation imagery. A lag was evident for psychological arousal for the retrospective sample but not for the current group. These results indicated that self-mutilative behaviour is maintained by the psychophysiological and psychological tension-reducing qualities of the act. When a person is no longer engaging in the behaviour, the feelings associated with the act are open to reinterpretation.

The psychopathology of incarcerated self-mutilators

Objective To investigate the symptomatology of severe psychopathology reported by male incarcerated self-mutilators. Method Comparisons were made with a nonmutilating incarcerated group and a nonincarcerated, nonmutilator group. Results A distinctive pattern of symptomatology emerged. Self-mutilators evidenced a wide range of elevated scores on general measures of psychological/psychiatric symptoms, particularly depression and hostility. Aspects of hostility that distinguished self-mutilators from other groups included the urge to act out hostile feelings, critical feelings towards others, paranoid feelings of hostility and guilt. Self-mutilators demonstrated substantial problems with substance abuse, particularly alcohol. Conclusion A pattern of passive-aggressive, schizoid and avoidant personality styles distinguished self-mutilators from other groups.

The Psychophysiology of Repetitive Self-Mutilation

Psychophysiological and psychological responses of frequent self-mutilation participants (more than five life time self-mutilative episodes, n=29) and an infrequent self-mutilation group (less than five life time events, n=14) to self-mutilation imagery were compared to determine whether the reinforcement processes associated with the act itself alter as self-mutilative behavior becomes habitual. Personalised guided imagery scripts depicting an actual episode of self-mutilation were presented in four stages: scene setting, approach, incident, and consequence. No differences in psychophysiological response to imagery between frequent and infrequent groups was evident. Some between group differences were demonstrated for psychological response. Results indicated that although psycho-physiological benefits of the behavior are evident from the first episode, self-mutilation initially is perceived as a frightening experience which is associated with limited psychological benefits. Psychological response to self-mutilation alters as the behavior becomes habitual. Further research regarding the specific purposes and mechanisms of the behavior is required to determine how discrete episodes of self-mutilation develop into a repetitive behavioral cycle.

The self-mutilative nature of severe onychophagia: a comparison with self-cutting.

Objective: To investigate the psychophysiological pattern associated with severe and mild onychophagia, and to compare this pattern with that demonstrated by previous research on self-cutting. Method: Comparisons between the psychophysiological responses accompanying 3 behaviours were made using a guided imagery methodology. Imagery ofnail-related, skin-cutting, and neutral events were presented in 4 stages. Results: Experiment I distinguished participants exhibiting severe and mild onychophagia by the severity and frequency of nail-biting and by the pattern of psychophysiological response across the stages. Experiment II indicated that the change in psychophysiological arousal accompanying severe onychophagia was not as dramatic as that demonstrated for skin-cutting. The behaviour seems to be less effective in reducing tension. Conclusion: Severe onychophagia appears to manage the level of tension experienced by an individual, instead of dramatically reducing it in times of crisis. Such a process is consistent with that demonstrated in individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder.