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. 2022 Jul:116:152322.
doi: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2022.152322. Epub 2022 May 1.

Identity, self-blame, and body regard in NSSI: A test of moderated-mediation

Kaylee P Kruzan  1 , Jennifer J Muehlenkamp  2 , Laurence Claes  3
Affiliations

Identity, self-blame, and body regard in NSSI: A test of moderated-mediation

Kaylee P Kruzan et al. Compr Psychiatry. 2022 Jul.

Abstract

Background: Prior work suggests that an unstable identity is an important developmental factor impacting risk for non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), partly because it can foster lowered self-esteem and self-blame coping styles. Theoretical models suggest that how one regards the self, including experiences of and reactions to one's body (e.g., body regard), impact how factors such as identity instability and coping styles influence NSSI behavior. This study tested whether body regard moderated the mediational effect of self-blame coping on the relationship between poor self-concept clarity and past-year NSSI.

Methods: A sample of 1906 university students had complete data from an anonymous online questionnaires measuring self-concept clarity, self-blame coping, and past-year NSSI behaviors.

Results: Past-year NSSI was reported by 23.5% of the sample. Moderated mediational regression analyses using the PROCESS macro for SPSS were run. Body regard significantly moderated the effects of self-blame coping and poor self-concept clarity on NSSI such that neither risk factor was associated with NSSI when body regard was high. Poor self-concept clarity also retained a significant, although weakened, direct relationship with NSSI in the full model.

Conclusions: Positive body regard is protective and appears to mitigate the strength of the relationships between poor self-concept clarity and self-blame coping on past year NSSI. When body regard is low or average, poor self-concept clarity is associated with increased NSSI, partly through the effect of self-blame coping. Treatments that address body- and self-perceptions related to self-concept may enhance the effectiveness of interventions used to reduce NSSI behavior.

Keywords: Body regard; Identity; NSSI; Self-blame; Self-concept clarity; Self-punishment.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Competing Interest

The Authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest with respect to research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Hypothesized model of self-concept, self-blame, body regard, and past year NSSI frequency.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
Interaction effect of body regard and self-blame on past year NSSI frequency. Note: s-blame = self-blame coping, BR = body regard. Lo = Low, Av = Average, Hi = High.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 3.
Interaction effect of body regard and self-concept clarity on NSSI frequency. Note. Poor SSC = poor self-concept clarity, BR = body regard. Lo = Low, Av = Average, Hi = High.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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