Examining the relationship between cognitive control and nonsuicidal self-injury

Abstract

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), the deliberate self-destruction of one’s own body tissue engaged in without associated suicidal intent, is a prevalent behavior among adolescents and young adults. The current study examined whether one aspect of cognitive control, inhibitory control in response to negative emotional stimuli, is associated with repetitive engagement in NSSI. It further sought to examine whether sleep deficiency/irregularity, stress, and reward sensitivity moderate this relationship. A multi-method approach (self-report, behavioral measures, actigraphy) was employed to sensitively probe these relationships among 114 late adolescents with and without a history of repetitive NSSI. Findings suggested no relationship between inhibitory control in response to negative emotional stimuli and NSSI, as measured by a behavioral measure, but a significant positive relationship as measured by self-report. Stress and sleep irregularity, but not sleep deficiency or reward sensitivity, were associated with NSSI group status. Interaction analyses suggested that sleep irregularity and stress moderated the relationship between inhibitory control in response to negative emotional stimuli and NSSI. Results are discussed in terms of conceptual and clinical implications. Findings highlight the necessity of examining the temporal dynamics between the study’s constructs and NSSI by employing an ecologically valid approach.