The relationship between non-suicidal self-injury and borderline personality disorder symptoms in a college sample

Self-Hatred: The Unaddressed Symptom of Borderline Personality Disorder

Individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) often report chronic, severe self-hatred. It is frequently experienced as immutable, seen as a barrier to recovery, and is associated with risk for self-injury and suicide attempts. Yet self-hatred remains a poorly understood, underdiagnosed, and undertreated presentation of BPD. In this concept article and review, we describe the nature of self-hatred in BPD and related disorders, propose a theory as to the development of self-hatred in BPD, review the assessments of and interventions for self-hatred, and consider next steps in the research, assessment, and treatment of self-hatred in BPD. Through increased awareness, understanding, and measures of self-hatred in BPD, new treatment paradigms can be developed to ensure more comprehensive recovery.

Quantifying the Importance of Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Characteristics in Predicting Different Clinical Outcomes: Using Random Forest Model

Existing research on non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) among adolescents has primarily concentrated on general risk factors, leaving a significant gap in understanding the specific NSSI characteristics that predict diverse psychopathological outcomes. This study aims to address this gap by using Random Forests to discern the significant predictors of different clinical outcomes. The study tracked 348 adolescents (64.7% girls; mean age = 13.31, SD = 0.91) over 6 months. Initially, 46 characteristics of NSSI were evaluated for their potential to predict the repetition of NSSI, as well as depression, anxiety, and suicidal risks at a follow-up (T2). The findings revealed distinct predictors for each psychopathology. Specifically, psychological pain was identified as a significant predictor for depression, anxiety, and suicidal risks, while the perceived effectiveness of NSSI was crucial in forecasting its repetition. These findings imply that it is feasible to identify high-risk individuals by assessing key NSSI characteristics, and also highlight the importance of considering diverse NSSI characteristics when working with self-injurers.

Lack of Identity and Suicidality: The Mediating Role of Emotion Regulation Difficulties

ABSTRACT

Identity disturbance has been connected to both psychological distress and suicidality, and associated with emotion dysregulation. However, despite empirical evidence of a relationship between lack of identity and poor psychiatric outcomes, the link between impaired identity and emotion dysregulation in suicide risk remains underexplored, particularly among individuals seeking outpatient mental health services. Using data from a large clinical sample (n = 246), the present study examined the association between lack of identity and suicidality and the role of emotion dysregulation within this process. Findings indicated that the mediation model was significant, with emotion regulation difficulties significantly mediating the association between lack of identity and future suicidal behavior. Furthermore, the indirect effect of lack of identity on anticipated suicidality remained significant beyond general distress and past suicide attempt. Our findings add to the literature examining the complex relationship among lack of identity, emotion regulation, and suicidality.

Don´t set us aside!Experiences of families of people with BPD who have access to Brief admission:a phenomenological perspective

AIM

To highlight the experiences of family members of people with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and self-harming behaviour who have access to brief admission.

METHODS

To understand the families lived experience a phenomenological lifeworld perspective was adopted to this study. Twelve in-depht interviews were performed in November and December 2021 with family members of people with BPD and self-harming behaviour who have accessed BA. The phenomenological life-world perspective guided the analysis.

RESULTS

Families' life-world was characterized by anxiety and constant protection of their loved one. They live with constant fear of how their loved ones are feeling and whether they will injure themselves. When access to BA was available this gave hope and provided conditions for families to maintain everyday routines and also enhanced relationships among family members. When families' loved ones were denied BA, they felt betrayed which contributed to negative feelings towards the medical profession, and the families lost confidence in psychiatry.

CONCLUSION

By interviewing families of people with BPD and self-harming behaviour who had access to BA, it emerged they possess valuable knowledge. BA can be developed if the needs of families are taken into consideration, and if families are given the opportunity to share emotions and the high burden of responsibility with staff or families in similar situations. If health care staff gives family members a more central role in care and makes their shared life-world visible it could thereby hopefully increase well-being and benefits for the whole family.

Inflammation and emotion regulation: a narrative review of evidence and mechanisms in emotion dysregulation disorders

Emotion dysregulation (ED) describes a difficulty with the modulation of which emotions are felt, as well as when and how these emotions are experienced or expressed. It is a focal overarching symptom in many severe and prevalent neuropsychiatric diseases, including bipolar disorders (BD), attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and borderline personality disorder (BPD). In all these disorders, ED can manifest through symptoms of depression, anxiety, or affective lability. Considering the many symptomatic similarities between BD, ADHD, and BPD, a transdiagnostic approach is a promising lens of investigation. Mounting evidence supports the role of peripheral inflammatory markers and stress in the multifactorial aetiology and physiopathology of BD, ADHD, and BPD. Of note, neural circuits that regulate emotions appear particularly vulnerable to inflammatory insults and peripheral inflammation, which can impact the neuroimmune milieu of the central nervous system. Thus far, few studies have examined the link between ED and inflammation in BD, ADHD, and BPD. To our knowledge, no specific work has provided a critical comparison of the results from these disorders. To fill this gap in the literature, we review the known associations and mechanisms linking ED and inflammation in general, and clinically, in BD, ADHD, and BD. Our narrative review begins with an examination of the routes linking ED and inflammation, followed by a discussion of disorder-specific results accounting for methodological limitations and relevant confounding factors. Finally, we critically discuss both correspondences and discrepancies in the results and comment on potential vulnerability markers and promising therapeutic interventions.

The effectiveness of a day hospital mentalization-based therapy programme for adolescents with borderline personality traits: Findings from Touchstone-Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service

BACKGROUND

Individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) are at a substantial risk of harm to themselves and others, experience high levels of functional impairment and typically are high users of tertiary healthcare to address their mental health concerns. As indicators for BPD typically emerge in adolescence, a day therapy service in Bentley, Western Australia, Touchstone Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), was developed as an intensive intervention for adolescents with indicators for BPD and its associated symptomology. Touchstone utilizes mentalization-based therapy (MBT) in a therapeutic community setting, where the current study sought to document the anecdotal outcomes using the data provided at Touchstone, to enable a greater understanding of this treatment approach for adolescents with indicators for BPD.

METHOD

Forty-six participants attended the Touchstone programme between 2015 and 2020. The programme involved 6 months of MBT (group and individual), occupational therapy, education and creative therapies. Measures of self-injury, mood and emergency department presentations were collected pre- and post-programme.

RESULTS

Results indicate that participants show a reduction in non-suicidal acts and thoughts, as well as a reduction in negative moods and feelings from pre-Touchstone to post-Touchstone. There is also a decrease in participant presentation to tertiary emergency departments for mental health concerns.

CONCLUSIONS

The current study shows evidence for the efficacy of Touchstone as an MBT therapeutic community intervention to reduce symptoms of emerging BPD and effectively reduce presentations to emergency departments for mental health presentations, alleviating pressure on tertiary hospitals and reducing economic impact of adolescents within this demographic.

miR-124-3p target genes identify globus pallidus role in suicide ideation recovery in borderline personality disorder

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by patterns of unstable affect, unstable interpersonal relationships, and chronic suicidal tendencies. Research on the genetics, epigenetics, and brain function of BPD is lacking. MicroRNA-124-3p (miR-124-3p) was recently identified in a Genome-Wide Association Study as likely associated with BPD. Here, we identified the anatomical brain expression of genes likely modulated by miR-124-3p and compared morphometry in those brain regions in BPD inpatients vs. controls matched for psychiatric comorbidities. We isolated lists of targets likely modulated by miR-124-3p from TargetScan (v 8.0) by their preferentially conserved targeting (Aggregate PCT > 0.99, see Supplementary Table 1). We applied Process Genes List (PGL) to identify regions of interest associated with the co-expression of miR-124-3p target genes. We compared the gray matter volume of the top region of interest co-expressing those genes between BPD inpatients (n = 111, 46% female) and psychiatric controls (n = 111, 54% female) at The Menninger Clinic in Houston, Texas. We then correlated personality measures, suicidal ideation intensity, and recovery from suicidal ideation with volumetrics. Gene targets of miR-124-3p were significantly co-expressed in the left Globus Pallidus (GP), which was smaller in BPD than in psychiatric controls. Smaller GP volume was negatively correlated with agreeableness and with recovery from suicidal ideation post-treatment. In BPD, GP volume may be reduced through miR-124-3p regulation and suppression of its target genes. Importantly, we identified that a reduction of the GP in BPD could serve as a potential biomarker for recovery from suicidal ideation.

Persistent Non-Suicidal Self-Injury and Suicidality in Referred Adolescents: A Longitudinal Study Exploring the Role of Cyclothymic Temperament

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is deliberate harm to the body surface without suicidal intent, though it may be a predictor of suicide attempts. Our aim was to test the hypothesis that persisting and recovering NSSI may have a different longitudinal risk for suicidal ideation and behavior and that the intensity of Cyclothymic Hypersensitive Temperament (CHT) may increase this risk. Fifty-five patients (mean age 14.64 ± 1.77 years) referred for mood disorders according to the DSM-5 were consecutively recruited and followed-up for a mean of 19.79 ± 11.67 months and grouped according to the presence/absence of NSSI at baseline and follow-up into three groups: without NSSI (non-NSSI; n = 22), with NSSI recovered at follow-up (past-NSSI; n = 19), and with persistent NSSI at follow-up (pers-NSSI; n = 14). At follow-up, both NSSI groups were more severely impaired and failed to improve internalizing problems and dysregulation symptoms. Both NSSI groups reported higher scores in suicidal ideation compared to non-NSSI, but only pers-NSSI presented higher scores in suicidal behavior. CHT was higher in pers-NSSI, followed by past-NSSI and then by non-NSSI. Our data support a continuity between NSSI and suicidality, and they suggest the prognostic validity of persistent NSSI, associated with highest CHT scores.

Borderline personality disorder traits and rates of NSSI during the COVID-19 pandemic: An initial investigation

Objective: The current study evaluated frequency of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and associated maladaptive traits between three time periods: pre-pandemic, early pandemic, and later pandemic. Participants: Two college student samples (n = 362; n = 337) were collected via two online studies. Method: Participants completed measures assessing maladaptive borderline personality traits, engagement in NSSI over the past month, and reasons for and types of NSSI engaged in across the lifetime. Results: Results demonstrated a stable and potentially a slight increase in general rates of NSSI over the course of the pandemic. Further, specific maladaptive traits that underly borderline personality disorder (i.e., despondence, fragility, self-disturbance, and anxious-uncertainty) were related to engagement in NSSI 1-month post COVID. Conclusion: The study highlights the need for added interventions that might reach at risk populations during these heightened periods of stress.

What aspects of mindfulness and emotion regulation underpin self-harm in individuals with borderline personality disorder?

BACKGROUND

Self-harm presents significant risk for individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD). Both self-harm and BPD are associated with deficits in mindfulness and emotion dysregulation. Previous research suggests that thought suppression and emotional inexpressivity may underpin self-harm in people with BPD, suggesting potential links to self-harm functions common for those with BPD. More research is needed to strengthen our understanding of this relationship.

AIMS

This study examines how BPD symptoms, mindfulness, emotion dysregulation and self-harm functions are related.

METHODS

Australian community outpatients diagnosed with BPD (N = 110) completed measures of mindfulness, emotion dysregulation and self-harm functions. Serial mediation analyses were conducted to examine relationships between variables.

RESULTS

BPD symptoms, chronic emptiness, mindfulness skills, describing and non-reacting, emotion dysregulation areas of emotion regulation strategies and poor emotional clarity were associated with recent self-harm. Various combinations of describing, strategies and clarity mediated the path between emptiness and self-harm functions more likely to be endorsed by individuals with a diagnosis of BPD. Describing was associated with all but anti-suicide function, while strategies was associated with all but anti-dissociation.

CONCLUSION

The study highlights how individuals with BPD experiencing chronic emptiness may benefit from treatment targeting describing skills and adaptive emotion regulation strategies.

Trajectories of adaptive and disturbed identity dimensions in adolescence: developmental associations with self-esteem, resilience, symptoms of depression, and borderline personality disorder features

To advance our understanding of adolescents' identity formation and how it may play into their psychological functioning, this study investigated developmental trajectory classes of adaptive and disturbed dimensions of identity formation, and whether adolescents belonging to different trajectory classes develop differently on self-esteem, resilience, symptoms of depression, and borderline personality disorder (BPD) features. Three-wave longitudinal data from 2,123 Flemish adolescents was used (54.2% girls; M_age = 14.64, range = 12-18 at T1). Results pointed to four trajectory classes of identity formation: adaptive identity, identity progression, identity regression, and diffused identity. The adaptive identity class presented with stable high levels of self-esteem and resilience, and stable low levels of symptoms of depression and BPD, whereas opposite results were obtained for the diffused identity class. The identity progression class reported an increase in self-esteem and resilience as well as a decrease in symptoms of depression and BPD, whereas opposite results were obtained for the identity regression class. These results emphasize that adaptive and disturbed dimensions of identity formation are closely related to markers of well-being and psychopathology among adolescents, and could help identify adolescents with an increased risk for negative psychological functioning or increased opportunity for positive psychological functioning.

The relationship between borderline personality disorder and occupational participation: An integrative review

This integrative review explores the impact of borderline personality disorder (BPD) symptomology and behaviours on occupational capacity, participation, and sustainability. The disorder has also been associated with lower education levels, higher levels of attrition in tertiary education populations, and low occupational participation and employment rates. Personality traits and symptomology have been found to substantially detract from employability. Articles were identified from CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature), PsycINFO/Ovid, ProQuest, and PubMed databases. The Joanna Briggs' Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tools were used to evaluate the quality of evidence, and inductive thematic analysis used to extract main themes. Four themes regarding 'barriers', 'enablers', 'treatment', and 'benefits' emerged amongst the 11 eligible articles. The negative symptomology was a barrier to occupational participation, and people with BPD engaged in self-stigmatizing and non-disclosure. However, the positive symptomology such as boldness and honesty were enablers. Treatment was found to be a key element, and occupational engagement was also found to have positive effectives. The evidence indicates that employment improved the symptoms, and a long-term treatment plan is a key element. Some upskilling of mental health workers may be required, including a focus on possible positive symptomology as a way of dealing with the stigmatization. Some awareness raising of the disorder, including for employers, may be needed, with education programmes that deal with the stigmatization. Future funding should focus on specialized programmes targeting unemployment for this group.

Connectivity in deep brain stimulation for self-injurious behavior: multiple targets for a common network?

Self-injurious behavior (SIB) is associated with diverse psychiatric conditions. Sometimes (e.g., in patients with autism spectrum disorder or acquired brain injuries), SIB is the most dominant symptom, severely restricting the psychosocial functioning and quality of life of the patients and inhibiting appropriate patient care. In severe cases, it can lead to permanent physical injuries or even death. Primary therapy consists of medical treatment and if implementable, behavioral therapy. For patients with severe SIB refractory to conventional therapy, neuromodulation can be considered as a last recourse. In scientific literature, several successful lesioning and deep brain stimulation targets have been described that can indicate a common underlying neuronal pathway. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the short- and long-term clinical outcome of patients with severe, therapy refractory SIB who underwent DBS with diverse underlying psychiatric disorders and to correlate these outcomes with the activated connectivity networks. We retrospectively analyzed 10 patients with SIB who underwent DBS surgery with diverse psychiatric conditions including autism spectrum disorder, organic personality disorder after hypoxic or traumatic brain injury or Tourette syndrome. DBS targets were chosen according to the underlying disorder, patients were either stimulated in the nucleus accumbens, amygdala, posterior hypothalamus, medial thalamus or ventrolateral thalamus. Clinical outcome was measured 6 months after surgery and at long-term follow-up after 10 or more years using the Early Rehabilitation Barthel index (ERBI) and time of restraint. Connectivity patterns were analyzed using normative connectome. Based on previous literature the orbitofrontal cortex, superior frontal gyrus, the anterior cingulate cortex, the amygdala and the hippocampus were chosen as regions of interest. This analysis showed a significant improvement in the functionality of the patients with DBS in the short- and long-term follow-up. Good clinical outcome correlated with higher connectivity to the amygdala and hippocampus. These findings may suggest a common pathway, which can be relevant when planning a surgical procedure in patients with SIB.

Screening for borderline personality pathology on college campuses

Although borderline symptoms show a normative decline throughout adulthood, severe psychosocial impairment often remains. Identifying personality pathology in college-age students may help prevent "adaptive failure" that can occur during the critical period of development from puberty through the late 20s and thus reduce impairment later in life. The aims of the current study were to estimate the prevalence of borderline personality disorder (BPD) in a diverse college sample, determine which symptoms confer the greatest relative risk of screening positive for BPD and examine the utility of the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 brief form (PID-5-BF) in identifying BPD. Participants were 1456 undergraduate students, and 312 individuals (21.4% of the sample) screened positive for BPD. Chronic feelings of emptiness conferred the greatest relative risk of any symptom; students who endorsed this symptom were 15 times more likely to screen positive for BPD than those who did not. Scales and composite scores of the PID-5-BF demonstrated diagnostic accuracy ranging from sufficient to excellent. The current study contributes to literature concerning best practices in screening for personality pathology in young adults. Results suggest that chronic feelings of emptiness are significant for detecting at-risk students and implications for the use of the PID-5-BF are discussed.

Crisis-focused psychosocial interventions for borderline personality disorder: systematic review and narrative synthesis

BACKGROUND

Mental health crisis presentations are common in those who have a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder (BPD), and psychosocial interventions should be provided. However, there is limited evidence outlining what a crisis-focused psychosocial intervention for this population should include.

AIMS

To conduct a systematic review and narrative synthesis of crisis-focused psychosocial interventions for people diagnosed with BPD.

METHOD

Three databases (MEDLINE, Embase, PsycInfo) were searched for eligible studies. Studies were included if they were quantitative studies comparing a crisis-focused intervention with any control group and they included adults (18+ years of age) who were diagnosed with BPD (or with equivalent experiences). A narrative synthesis was undertaken to analyse results.

RESULTS

A total of 3711 papers were initially identified, 95 full texts were screened and 5 studies were included in the review. Two of five studies reported on the same trial, so four individual trials were included. Overall moderate risk of bias across studies was identified. The review tentatively demonstrated that crisis-focused psychosocial interventions are feasible and acceptable to people with BPD and that they have potential impacts on outcomes such as self-harm and number of days spent in hospital. There is limited consensus on what outcome measures should be used to assess the impact of interventions.

CONCLUSIONS

There is presently insufficient data to recommend any specific psychosocial crisis intervention for people with BPD. Given the relationship between BPD and the high frequency of crises experienced by this group, further large-scale trials examining crisis-focused psychosocial interventions are required.

STATEMENT ON LANGUAGE

We acknowledge that the term personality disorder can be controversial and stigmatising. As the term borderline personality disorder has been retained in DSM-5 and is used in the research evidence base we have decided to use this term throughout this review. However, we recognise that this term may not be acceptable to all.

A latent class analysis of intermittent explosive disorder symptoms

Intermittent explosive disorder (IED), the sole diagnosis in the DSM-5 for which the cardinal symptom is recurrent affective aggressive outbursts, is a common and substantially impairing disorder. IED is also associated with several cognitive and affective impairments. However, little is known about the heterogeneity of the disorder and how this may correspond to aggression severity and related adverse outcomes. The current study employed a latent class analysis (LCA) among individuals diagnosed with lifetime DSM-5 IED to derive distinct subgroups that differed in the quality and/or frequency of cognitive-affective symptoms. These subgroups were then externally validated on a number of adverse outcomes. Statistical and clinical indicators supported a four-class model. Classes were distinguished mainly by the level of emotion dysregulation participants endorsed, with two moderate emotion dysregulation classes differing on their emotional information processing and impulsive tendencies. The external validation analysis revealed that classes differed in terms of various adverse outcomes (e.g., interpersonal problems, life satisfaction, suicide risk). Overall, the present study suggests distinct cognitiveaffective symptom profiles among those with IED that differ meaningfully with regard to risk for adverse outcomes. These findings provide evidence of the heterogeneity within IED and may suggest a more personalized therapeutic approach to patients with IED.

Brief Admission for Patients with Self-Harm from the Perspective of Outpatient Healthcare Professionals

The aim of the study was to describe the role of brief-admission (BA) in treating high-risk patients with self-harm from the perspective of outpatient healthcare staff in Sweden. Ten outpatient healthcare professionals from three psychiatric clinics were interviewed. Data were analyzed using a conventional content analysis. The findings of this study help support the role of BA as an acute crisis management intervention, and describe how BA serves as a useful adjunct to outpatient treatment, especially for patients with complementarily psychotherapeutic interventions. The findings also suggest that implementing BA may increase treatment opportunities for outpatient staff and strengthen the concept of person-centered care.

Experiences of how brief admission influences daily life functioning among individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and self-harming behaviour

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to explore experiences of how brief admission influences daily life functioning among individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and self-harming behaviour.

BACKGROUND

Brief admission (BA) is a crisis nursing intervention designed to reduce long hospitalisations and the risk of suicide. The intention of the intervention is to develop autonomy and to encourage the patient to take responsibility for and control over their own care and treatment. There are studies in the area that target individuals with psychosis and bipolar disorders, but no previous studies have been found examining how BA impacts upon daily life functioning among people with BPD who self-harm.

DESIGN

A descriptive qualitative design was chosen.

METHODS

Data were collected using qualitative individual interviews with 16 patients with BPD and self-harming behaviour who had been assigned to BA. The data were analysed using conventional content analysis. The study was conducted in accordance with COREQ guidelines.

RESULTS

The results show that BA was perceived as a functioning nursing intervention that promoted self-determination and self-care. This contributed to increased security in daily life. BA made it possible for individuals to maintain everyday routines, employment and relationships more easily.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that BA was experienced to have a positive impact on daily life functioning.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Brief admission enabled the balance of power to be shifted from the nurse to the patient, and provides conditions for patients to take responsibility for their mental condition and to become aware of early signs of deterioration, in line with the basic ideas of person-centred care.

The factor structure of the Zanarini Rating Scale for Borderline Personality Disorder: Exploratory Structural Equation Modelling and measurement invariance over time

OBJECTIVES

There is a lack of independent longitudinal evidence on the factor structure and validity of the Zanarini Rating Scale for Borderline Personality Disorder (ZAN-BPD). This study aimed to investigate the dimensionality of ZAN-BPD and its conceptual consistency over time.

METHODS

Adult BPD participants (n = 276) were recruited for a multicentre, two-arm randomised clinical trial with ZAN-BPD measured at baseline and follow up at 12, 24 and 52 weeks. The construct and stability of the ZAN-BPD across 52 weeks was examined through a measurement equivalence/invariance procedure via Exploratory Structural Equation Modelling.

RESULTS

Factor analysis results showed that the ZAN-BPD had a bi-2 factor structure that was stable over 52 weeks with a general factor and two specific factors. Factor loadings for eight of the nine items were greater for the general factor than the two specific factors. Factor 1 contrasts externalising distress with internalising distress. Factor 2 contrasts depression and self-destruction with interpersonal anxiety and conflict.

CONCLUSION

ZAN-BPD is a conceptually and empirically valid measure of total BPD symptom severity in BPD patients over time suitable for use in clinical trials. Two factors related to the expression of distress and self-harm may be utilised as possible predictors of outcome.

Understanding chronic feelings of emptiness in borderline personality disorder: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Chronic feelings of emptiness are significant in the lives of people with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Feelings of emptiness have been linked to impulsivity, self-harm, suicidal behaviour and impaired psychosocial function. This study aimed to understand the experience of chronic emptiness, the cognitions, emotions and behaviours linked to emptiness, and clarify the differences between chronic emptiness and hopelessness, loneliness and depression.

METHODS

This study interviewed people (n = 15) with BPD and used a template analysis qualitative approach to understand their experiences of chronic feelings of emptiness.

RESULTS

Chronic feelings of emptiness were experienced as a feeling of disconnection from both self and others, and a sense of numbness and nothingness which was frequent and reduced functional capacity. Feelings of purposelessness and unfulfillment were closely associated with emptiness, and most participants experienced emptiness as distressing. Responses to feelings of emptiness varied, with participants largely engaging in either impulsive strategies to tolerate feelings of emptiness or distracting by using adaptive behaviours. Most participants distinguished chronic feelings of emptiness from loneliness, hopelessness, dissociation, and depression.

CONCLUSIONS

Feelings of chronic emptiness are an important and challenging symptom of BPD which require clinical intervention. Strengthening identity, sense of purpose and vocational and relationship functioning may reduce the intensity of emptiness.

Executive functioning in psychiatric patients with deliberate self-harm, as compared with a psychiatric and a healthy comparison group

Introduction: Deliberate self-harm (DSH) is a common symptom in psychiatric disorders. It is a cross-diagnostic symptom, although it has mainly been associated with borderline personality disorder (BPD). Research has suggested an association between DSH and deficits in executive functioning. The main aim of the current study was to assess three specific aspects of executive functioning (EF) (working memory, inhibition and cognitive flexibility) among psychiatric patients with DSH, compared to a clinical and a healthy comparison group.Methods: Thirty psychiatric patients with DSH, 29 psychiatric patients without DSH and 29 healthy individuals were assessed with regard to psychiatric illness, self-harming behavior, EF, general cognitive functioning level and measures of psychopathology. The results were analyzed by means of ANOVA, regression analysis, Chi-square, and correlation analysis.Results: The patients with DSH showed deficits in cognitive flexibility and inhibition as compared to healthy individuals. In addition, the patients with DSH had greater deficits in cognitive flexibility than the patients without DSH; this effect was independent of concurrent severity of depressive symptoms but not independent of borderline symptomatology.Conclusion: Psychiatric patients with DSH may have deficits in cognitive flexibility as compared to both the healthy and clinical comparison groups. The results partly differ from previous related studies in the field. It is unclear to which extent the deficits in cognitive flexibility are due to other factors. More research is needed to understand the implications of such deficits, and if the results could be used for adapting treatment services and strategies. Future studies should include more similar comparison groups.

Association of Borderline Personality Disorder Criteria With Suicide Attempts: Findings From the Collaborative Longitudinal Study of Personality Disorders Over 10 Years of Follow-up

IMPORTANCE

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) has been identified as a strong risk factor for suicidal behavior, including suicide attempts. Delineating specific features that increase risk could inform interventions.

OBJECTIVE

To examine factors associated with prospectively observed suicide attempts among participants in the Collaborative Longitudinal Study of Personality Disorders (CLPS), over 10 years of follow-up, with a focus on BPD and BPD criteria.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

The CLPS is a multisite, naturalistic, prospective study of adult participants with 4 personality disorders (PDs) and a comparison group of adults with major depressive disorder and minimal PD features. Participants were all treatment-seeking and recruited from inpatient, partial, and outpatient treatment settings across New York, New York, Boston, Massachusetts, New Haven, Connecticut, and Providence, Rhode Island. A total of 733 participants were recruited at baseline, with 701 completing at least 1 follow-up assessment. The cohorts were recruited from September 1996 through April 1998 and September 2001 through August 2002. Data for this study using this follow-up sample (N = 701) were analyzed between March 2019 and August 2020.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Participants were assessed annually using semistructured diagnostic interviews and a variety of self-report measures for up to 10 years. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to examine baseline demographic and clinical risk factors, including BPD and individual BPD criteria, of suicide attempt assessed over 10 years of prospective follow-up.

RESULTS

Of the 701 participants, 447 (64%) identified as female, 488 (70%) as White, 527 (75%) as single, 433 (62%) were unemployed, and 512 (73%) reported at least some college education. Of all disorders, BPD emerged as the most robust factor associated with prospectively observed suicide attempt(s) (odds ratio [OR], 4.18; 95% CI, 2.68-6.52), even after controlling for significant demographic (sex, employment, and education) and clinical (childhood sexual abuse, alcohol use disorder, substance use disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder) factors. Among BPD criteria, identity disturbance (OR, 2.21; 95% CI, 1.37-3.56), chronic feelings of emptiness (OR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.03-2.57), and frantic efforts to avoid abandonment (OR, 1.93; 95% CI, 1.17-3.16) emerged as significant independent factors associated with suicide attempt(s) over follow-up, when covarying for other significant factors and BPD criteria.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

In the multisite, longitudinal study of adults with personality disorders, identity disturbance, chronic feelings of emptiness, and frantic efforts to avoid abandonment were significantly associated with suicide attempts. Identity disturbance, chronic feelings of emptiness, and frantic efforts to avoid abandonment may be clinically overlooked features of BPD in context of suicide risk assessment. In light of the high rates of BPD diagnostic remission, our findings suggest that these criteria should be independently assessed and targeted for further study as suicide risk factors.

Predicting engagement in nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) over the course of 12 months: the roles of borderline personality disorder pathology and emotional consequences of NSSI

BACKGROUND

Despite theories that negative reinforcement in the form of relief from negative emotions maintains nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), no studies have examined the extent to which specific emotional consequences of NSSI predict the maintenance of NSSI over time or explain the greater risk for NSSI found among individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) pathology. This study examined whether specific emotional consequences of NSSI relate to the continuance of NSSI behavior over a 12-month period and explain the relation of baseline BPD pathology to future NSSI.

METHODS

Participants with a history of recent repeated NSSI (N = 84) completed baseline measures of BPD pathology, NSSI, and the emotional antecedents and consequences of NSSI, including self-conscious emotions, undifferentiated negative affect, anger, emptiness, sadness, and anxiety; follow-up data on NSSI were collected every three months for one year.

RESULTS

Of the emotional consequences of NSSI examined here, only self-conscious emotions significantly predicted the presence and frequency of NSSI during the 12-month follow-up period. Likewise, whereas BPD pathology was not directly associated with later NSSI, both overall BPD pathology and the specific BPD feature of identity problems were indirectly related to the presence of 12-month NSSI through the greater frequency of post-NSSI self-conscious emotions.

LIMITATIONS

Emotional consequences of NSSI were assessed using a retrospective self-report measure. Only frequency, and not intensity, of emotions before and after NSSI were assessed.

CONCLUSIONS

Results suggest a distinct role of post-NSSI self-conscious emotions in the maintenance of NSSI among individuals with and without BPD pathology.

Comorbidity Between Non-suicidal Self-Injury Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder in Adolescents: A Graphical Network Approach

In 2013, DSM-5 urged for further research on non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and defined NSSI disorder (NSSI-D) for the first time separate from borderline personality disorder (BPD). However, research on the comorbidity between NSSI-D and BPD symptoms is still scarce, especially in adolescent populations. The current study selected 347 adolescents who engaged at least once in NSSI (78.4% girls, M age = 15.05) and investigated prevalence, comorbidity, gender differences, and bridge symptoms of NSSI-D and BPD. Network analysis allowed us to visualize the comorbidity structure of NSSI-D and BPD on a symptom-level and revealed which bridge symptoms connected both disorders. Our results supported NSSI-D as significantly distinct from, yet closely related to, BPD in adolescents. Even though girls were more likely to meet the NSSI-D criteria, our findings suggested that the manner in which NSSI-D and BPD symptoms were interconnected, did not differ between girls and boys. Furthermore, loneliness, impulsivity, separation anxiety, frequent thinking about NSSI, and negative affect prior to NSSI were detected as prominent bridge symptoms between NSSI-D and BPD. These bridge symptoms could provide useful targets for early intervention in and prevention of the development of comorbidity between NSSI-D and BPD. Although the current study was limited by a small male sample, these findings do provide novel insights in the complex comorbidity between NSSI-D and BPD symptoms in adolescence.

Preliminary Investigation of the Psychometric Properties of the Parent Version of the Borderline Personality Features Scale for Children (BPFS-P)

There is growing evidence that features of borderline personality disorder (BPD) emerge in childhood and present long-term risk for the development of BPD. Thus, valid and reliable assessments of BPD features in childhood are needed. This study examined the psychometric properties of the parent version of the Borderline Personality Features Scale for Children (BPFS-P) in a large, representative sample (N = 1,050; 51.5% male; M_age = 8.42, SD = 2.31; Age_range = 5 to 12 years). The factor structure of the BPFS-P was examined, and measurement invariance was tested across child age and sex as well as caregiver informant sex. Additionally, the unique contribution of the identified factors of the BPFS-P to overall impairment and need for treatment beyond co-occurring dimensions of additional psychopathology was examined. A one factor structure was identified, which demonstrated measurement invariance across child sex and age as well as caregiver informant sex. BPD features measured with the BPFS-P contributed unique variance to explaining overall impairment and need for treatment. These findings point to the potential of the BPFS-P to break new ground in identifying youth at risk for BPD.

Measuring the shadows: A systematic review of chronic emptiness in borderline personality disorder

BACKGROUND

Chronic feelings of emptiness is an under-researched symptom of borderline personality disorder (BPD), despite indications it may be central to the conceptualisation, course, and outcome of BPD treatment. This systematic review aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of chronic feelings of emptiness in BPD, identify key findings, and clarify differences between chronic feelings of emptiness and related constructs like depression, hopelessness, and loneliness.

METHOD

A PRISMA guided systematic search of the literature identified empirical studies with a focus on BPD or BPD symptoms that discussed chronic feelings of emptiness or a related construct.

RESULTS

Ninety-nine studies met criteria for inclusion in the review. Key findings identified there were significant difficulties in defining and measuring chronic emptiness. However, based on the studies reviewed, chronic emptiness is a sense of disconnection from both self and others. When experienced at frequent and severe levels, it is associated with low remission for people with BPD. Emptiness as a construct can be separated from hopelessness, loneliness and intolerance of aloneness, however more research is needed to explicitly investigate these experiences. Chronic emptiness may be related to depressive experiences unique to people with BPD, and was associated with self-harm, suicidality, and lower social and vocational function.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

We conclude that understanding chronic feelings of emptiness is central to the experience of people with BPD and treatment focusing on connecting with self and others may help alleviate a sense of emptiness. Further research is required to provide a better understanding of the nature of chronic emptiness in BPD in order to develop ways to quantify the experience and target treatment. Systematic review registration number: CRD42018075602.

Therapeutic implications of personality disorders in dermatology

There is a significant psychiatric comorbidity that exists in multiple dermatological conditions, stemming from the patient''s own psychological make up. This article reviews personality disorders and their types, which influence the course and prognosis of several psychodermatological disorders. Self-inflicted skin lesions, for example, are usually associated with obsessive-compulsive behavior, but they also share connections to Narcissistic and Borderline personality disorders. Body dysmorphic disorder is another psychodermatological condition seen in dermatology, aesthetic, and cosmetic surgery clinics, which is influenced by patient's personality type. In general, there is a significantly high proportion of personality disorders seen in aesthetic and cosmetic surgery. The management of patients with personality disorders is challenging, but joint liaison between psychiatry and dermatology has proven helpful and can provide patients with the best care for their psychological needs and dermatologic care.

Lived experiences of adults with borderline personality disorder: a qualitative systematic review protocol

OBJECTIVE

The objectives of this review are: to explore the lived experiences of individuals with a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder (BPD) and to present recommendations for policy, practice, education and research.

INTRODUCTION

Borderline personality disorder is a mental disorder characterized by poor capacity to engage in effective relationships, intense and sudden mood changes, poor self-image and emotion regulation, significant impulsivity and severe functional impairment. Studies estimate the prevalence of BPD at 15% to 22% and identify a predominantly negative attitude among health professionals towards individuals with BPD. This review will examine the lived experiences of people with a diagnosis of BPD in order to better understand this condition.

INCLUSION CRITERIA

This review will include peer-reviewed qualitative studies on adults with a diagnosis of BPD in all settings and from any geographical location.

METHODS

A three-step search strategy will be used. A search strategy has been developed for MEDLINE. A second search using all identified keywords and index terms will be conducted across MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO and Embase. Studies will be screened by title and abstract by two independent reviewers against the review inclusion criteria. The full text of selected citations will be assessed against the inclusion criteria and for methodological quality. Qualitative data will be extracted from included papers using a standardized data extraction tool. Qualitative research findings will be pooled using the meta-aggregation approach. The final synthesized findings will be graded according to the ConQual approach and presented in a Summary of Findings.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION NUMBER

PROSPERO CRD42019141098.

Self-Harming and Sense of Agency in Patients With Borderline Personality Disorder

Self-harm is considered a pervasive problem in several psychopathologies, and especially in Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Self-harming behaviors may be enacted for many purposes for example to regulate emotions and to reduce dissociation. BPD patients often report dissociative episodes, which may be related to an altered body awareness, and in particular to an altered awareness of the sense of agency. The sense of agency draws in part upon perceptions of being in control of our bodies and our physical movements, of being able to act upon environments. In this study, we aim to investigate whether dissociative experiences of BPD patients may be linked to an altered sense of agency and whether self-injurious actions may, through strong sensorial stimulation, constitute a coping strategy for the reduction of the distress associated with these dissociative experiences. A group of 20 BPD patients, of whom 9 presented self-harming behaviors, took part in the study and were compared with an age-matched control group of 20 healthy individuals. Sense of agency was evaluated through the Sensory Attenuation paradigm. In this paradigm, in a comparison with externally generated sensations, the degree to which perceived intensity of self-generated sensations is reduced is considered an implicit measure of sense of agency. As we expected, we found a significant difference in the perceptions of the two groups. The attenuation effect appeared to be absent in the BPD group while it was present in the control group. However, further analysis revealed that those BPD patients who engaged in self-harming behaviors presented a degree of attenuation which was similar to that of the control group. These results confirm the hypothesis that self-injurious actions constitute a coping strategy for increasing the sense of agency. We finally discuss the correlation of these experimental results with some clinical self-evaluation measures assessing dissociation, anxiety, depression, and affective dysregulation.

Development of an Ambulatory Biofeedback App to Enhance Emotional Awareness in Patients with Borderline Personality Disorder: Multicycle Usability Testing Study

Background

Patients with borderline personality disorder experience great difficulties in regulating their emotions. They often are unable to effectively detect their emotional arousal and struggle to timely apply learned techniques for emotion regulation. Although the use of continuous wearable biofeedback has been repeatedly suggested as an option to improve patients’ emotional awareness, this type of app is not yet available for clinical use. Therefore, we developed an ambulatory biofeedback app named Sense-IT that can be integrated in mental health care.

Objective

The aim of the study was to develop an ambulatory biofeedback app for mental health care that helps with learning to better recognize changes in personal emotional arousal and increases emotional awareness.

Methods

Using several methods in a tailored User Centred Design (UCD) framework, we tested the app’s usability and user experience (UX) via a cyclic developmental process with multiple user groups (patients, therapists, and UCD experts; 3-5 per group, per cycle).

Results

The process resulted in a stable prototype of the app that meets most of the identified user requirements. The app was valued as useful and usable by involved patients, therapists, and UCD experts. On the Subjective Usability Scale (SUS), the patients rated the app as “Good” (average score of 78.8), whereas the therapists rated the app as “OK” (average score of 59.4). The UCD experts judged the app’s overall usability as between “OK” and “acceptable” (average score of 0.87 on a cognitive walkthrough). As most critical usability problems were identified and addressed in the first cycle of the prototyping process, subsequent cycles were mainly about implementing new or extending existing functions, and other adjustments to improve UX.

Conclusions

mHealth development within a clinical mental health setting is challenging, yet feasible and welcomed by targeted users. This paper shows how new mHealth interventions for mental health care can be met with enthusiasm and openness by user groups that are known to be reluctant to embrace technological innovations. The use of the UCD framework, involving multiple user groups, proved to be of added value during design and realization as evidenced by the complementary requirements and perspectives. Future directions on studying clinical effectiveness of the app, appliance of the app in other fields, and the implications of integration of the app for daily practice in mental health are discussed.

Predicting Planned Suicide Attempts With the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale: A Subanalysis of the 2013 Korea National Suicide Survey on Emergency Department Visitors

Identifying predictors of planned suicide attempts (PSA) is critical because these are associated with grave consequences. Using data of suicide attempters visiting emergency departments, we investigated whether the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) subscales, by retrospectively evaluating ideation before an attempt, could predict the occurrence of PSA versus unplanned suicide attempts using logistic regression analyses. The severity subscale was used as a continuous (model A) and a categorical (model B) variable. In model A, higher scores on each subscale were associated with increased risk of PSA. In model B, the highest score on the severity subscale and a higher intensity subscale score predicted PSA. The severity and intensity subscales had areas under receiver operating curves of 0.712 and 0.688 with optimum cutoff points of 4/5 and 15/16, respectively. In addition, being aged 30 to 49 and 50 to 69 years, being male, interpersonal stress, and depressive and adjustment disorders increased PSA risk. The C-SSRS subscales, along with sociodemographic and clinical risk factors, can predict PSA.

Regional grey matter volume reduction in adolescents engaging in non-suicidal self-injury

There is a high prevalence of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) amongst adolescents worldwide and therefore an urgency to investigate the underlying mechanisms that may facilitate such behaviours. This study aimed to investigate neurobiological alterations, specifically in regional brain volumes of the frontolimbic system, in adolescents engaging in NSSI in comparison to healthy controls. Regional grey matter volumes were compared between 29 adolescent female patients who presented with incidents of NSSI on ≥5 days within the last 12 months (DSM-5 criteria for NSSI) and 21 healthy age, gender and education matched controls who had never received any psychiatric diagnosis/treatment, or engaged in NSSI. Significant group effects in regional brain volumes were observed in insula, and a suggested change in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), while controlling for total segmented volume. Additionally, ACC volume showed a significant association with past suicide attempts, where estimated marginal means showed even smaller ACC volume in adolescents engaging in NSSI with a history of suicide attempt in comparison to those with no history of suicide attempt, including healthy controls. This study provides the first evidence of volumetric changes in adolescents engaging in NSSI and a potential neurobiological link between NSSI and suicide attempt.

Subgroups of Adolescent Girls With Borderline Personality Disorder Symptoms

The aim of this study was to determine whether borderline personality disorder (BPD) can be differentiated from other disorders in a clinical sample of adolescent girls. Participants (N = 75) were grouped based on the pattern of BPD symptom endorsement using a latent class analysis. Four latent classes were identified. The most impaired class endorsed seven BPD symptoms and an average of three comorbid disorders. An intermediate class endorsed three BPD symptoms and had the highest prevalence of PTSD (41.7%). A third class reported two BPD symptoms and had a high prevalence of anxiety disorders (62%). The fourth class had no BPD symptoms and, on average, one comorbid disorder. Only a small subset of these teenage girls met criteria for BPD, and they had distinct and severe impairment. The results suggest the modest likelihood of a BPD diagnosis in clinical samples of teenage girls, and to also be vigilant for PTSD.

What is the clinical significance of chronic emptiness in borderline personality disorder?

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to review the clinical significance of the experience of chronic emptiness in borderline personality disorder (BPD).

METHODS

A systematic search of the literature was conducted using MEDLINE and PubMed, employing search terms including 'emptiness', 'personality disorder' and 'borderline personality disorder'. The most relevant English-language articles and books were selected for this review.

RESULTS

Published literature and clinical experience suggest that chronic emptiness represents a substantial component of the symptom burden experienced by people with BPD, contributes to functional impairment and may distinguish BPD from other disorders such as major depressive disorder.

CONCLUSIONS

Further research will elucidate the significance of chronic emptiness with regard to diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of BPD.

Exploring the relationship between non suicidal self-injury and borderline personality traits in young adults

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is highly prevalent during late adolescence and young adulthood. There is some evidence of a link between NSSI and Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), but little is known about the association between BPD traits and the various functions that maintain NSSI. The main purpose of this study was to explore the association between borderline personality traits and NSSI functions in a sample of college students. We also compared NSSI functions in college students who engaged in NSSI to those in an age-matched sample of BPD patients. This study included a total of 238 college students and 36 BPD patients. Participants were asked to complete a number of clinical measures. In the non-clinical sample, BPD features were more pronounced in the presence of NSSI, and we observed a differential relationship between NSSI functions and psychopathological BPD-traits. The NSSI clinical variables most strongly associated with BPD were frequency, variety of methods and severity, but not age of onset. Our results provide new information on the relationship between BPD and NSSI in young adults, and could be used to improve the early detection of vulnerable BPD-individuals and in planning NSSI treatment.

Social exposure and emotion dysregulation: Main effects in relation to nonsuicidal self-injury

We examined the relation of interpersonal and media exposure to nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) among 340 university students in the southeastern United States (73.5% female, M age = 19.38 years, SD = 1.15). We also assessed interactions and main effects of each exposure and emotion dysregulation in relation to NSSI, testing the social learning hypothesis of NSSI. Most participants endorsed medium to high levels of exposure to NSSI via media sources. More than one-third of participants were somewhat or very familiar with someone who engaged in NSSI. Almost half reported occasional or frequent conversations about NSSI. Both exposure forms were significantly related to NSSI history. However, hurdle regression analyses revealed that interpersonal exposure and emotion dysregulation, but not media exposure, were significantly associated with NSSI history and frequency. We did not find evidence for an emotion dysregulation-by-interpersonal-exposure interaction. We discuss implications for theoretical models of NSSI, limitations, and future directions.

Functions of nonsuicidal self-injury in Singapore adolescents: Implications for intervention

The functions of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and DSM-IV-TR diagnoses were examined in a sample of thirty ethnic adolescents followed up in a local child and adolescent psychiatric clinic in Singapore. The most commonly endorsed function of NSSI on the Functional Assessment of Self-Mutilation scale was Automatic Negative Reinforcement (A-NR) and the least being Social Negative Reinforcement (S-NR). Participants were more likely to be diagnosed as having Major Depression Disorder. Depressed adolescents did not differ from non-depressed counterparts in their endorsement of social reinforcement functions. The results suggest that specific psychosocial interventions may help address both automatic and social functions of NSSI in Singapore adolescents.

The Relationship Between Mindfulness, Depressive Symptoms, and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Amongst Adolescents

Mindfulness is often part of treatment for non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI); however, there has been limited research examining the role of mindfulness in NSSI. Thus, the current study sought to investigate the relationship among mindfulness, depressive symptoms, and NSSI (past year) in adolescents (N = 764; 56.8% female, M age = 14.42, SD = 0.64) with consideration of gender. Adolescents with recent NSSI (n = 74; 83.8% female, M age = 14.36, SD = 0.56) and a matched for age and gender no-NSSI group completed measures of mindfulness and depression. Findings revealed that mindfulness and depressive symptoms were negatively correlated, although significantly less so for the NSSI group. Second, the NSSI group reported greater depressive symptoms and less mindfulness. Finally, mindfulness was found to partially mediate the effect of depressive symptoms on NSSI. The present study is the first to provide empirical support for the protective role of mindfulness in NSSI.

The Incremental Utility of Emotion Regulation But Not Emotion Reactivity in Nonsuicidal Self-Injury

This study assessed the incremental utility of emotion reactivity and emotion regulation in relation to nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). Participants included 379 college students aged 18-22 who completed self-report measures of emotion regulation, emotion reactivity, and NSSI. Emotion regulation was significantly related to NSSI both ignoring and controlling for reactivity, but the reverse was not true. Participants' use of NSSI for affect regulation appeared to moderate this relation. Findings support emotion regulation deficits as a target for intervention over and above heightened emotion reactivity, especially in those who use NSSI to regulate negative affect.

A meta-analysis on pain sensitivity in self-injury

Individuals engaging in self-injurious behavior (SIB) frequently report absence of pain during acts of SIB. While altered pain sensitivity is discussed as a risk factor for the engagement in SIB, results have been mixed with considerable variance across reported effect sizes, in particular with respect to the effect of co-morbid psychopathology. The present meta-analysis aimed to summarize the current evidence on pain sensitivity in individuals engaging in SIB and to identify covariates of altered pain processing. Three databases were searched without restrictions. Additionally a hand search was performed and reference lists of included studies were checked for potential studies eligible for inclusion. Thirty-two studies were identified after screening 720 abstracts by two independent reviewers. Studies were included if they reported (i) an empirical investigation, in (ii) humans, including a sample of individuals engaging in (iii) SIB and a group of (iv) healthy controls, (v) receiving painful stimulation. Random-effects meta-analysis was performed on three pain-related outcomes (pain threshold, pain tolerance, pain intensity) and several population- and study-level covariates (i.e. age, sex, clinical etiology) were subjected to meta-regression. Meta-analysis revealed significant main effects associated with medium to large effect sizes for all included outcomes. Individuals engaging in SIB show greater pain threshold and tolerance and report less pain intensity compared to healthy controls. Clinical etiology and age are significant covariates of pain sensitivity in individuals engaging in SIB, such that pain threshold is further increased in borderline personality disorder compared to non-suicidal self-injury. Mechanisms underlying altered pain sensitivity are discussed.