Self-criticism longitudinally predicts nonsuicidal self-injury in eating disorders

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) has long been successfully applied to such behaviors such as nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and more recently, bulimic behaviors. However, it is less clear how patients experiencing these comorbid symptoms may benefit from this treatment modality. Self-criticism, d...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Eating disorders 2020-03, Vol.28 (2), p.157-170
Main Authors: Perkins, Natalie M., Ortiz, Shelby N., Smith, April R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Behavior modification
Bulimia
Comorbidity
Eating behavior
Eating disorders
Health services utilization
Help seeking behavior
Path analysis
Pathology
Professional attitudes
Self destructive behavior
Self injury
Selfcriticism
Treatment methods
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) has long been successfully applied to such behaviors such as nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and more recently, bulimic behaviors. However, it is less clear how patients experiencing these comorbid symptoms may benefit from this treatment modality. Self-criticism, defined as a highly negative attitude towards the self, has been implicated in both EDs and NSSI and is amenable to DBT; thus, further examination of this construct may be beneficial in informing DBT treatment approaches. However, research has only examined these relationships cross-sectionally and no published research has examined self-criticism as a longitudinal predictor of NSSI and ED symptoms. Thus, this study examined self-criticism as a potential driving factor of NSSI in EDs in order to inform treatments, particularly DBT. Data were collected from 92 treatment-seeking adults at ED treatment facilities in the United States. Participants self-reported ED pathology, NSSI engagement, and self-criticism at baseline and a two-month follow-up. A path analysis revealed that self-criticism at baseline was associated with NSSI frequency at follow-up over and above baseline NSSI and ED symptomology. Self-criticism at baseline was not associated with ED pathology at follow-up. Self-criticism longitudinally predicted NSSI, but not ED pathology, in an ED sample. As such, it may be important for clinicians to assess for self-criticism and consider treatments that target both self-criticism and self-injury, like DBT, for this population.
ISSN:1064-0266
1532-530X
DOI:10.1080/10640266.2019.1695450