1. Thoughts and beliefs about nonsuicidal self-injury: An application of social cognitive theory.
- Author
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Dawkins, Jessica C., Hasking, Penelope A., and Boyes, Mark E.
- Subjects
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COLLEGE students , *PAIN , *SELF-evaluation , *INTERNET , *SELF-control , *SOCIAL learning theory , *COGNITION , *SELF-injurious behavior , *SELF-efficacy , *HEALTH attitudes , *DESCRIPTIVE statistics , *EMOTION regulation , *SELF-mutilation , *PSYCHOLOGICAL factors - Abstract
According to Social Cognitive Theory, the anticipated consequences of a behavior (outcome expectancies), coupled with our belief in our ability to successfully perform the behavior (self-efficacy), determine the likelihood of engagement in a behavior. We explored whether the relationship between nonsuicidal self-injury outcome expectancies and self-injury was moderated by self-efficacy to resist nonsuicidal self-injury. Participants: Five hundred and sixteen college students aged 18–26 years (M = 20.60, SD = 1.86). Methods: Self-report measures were completed online. Results: The relationship between expecting self-injury would result in pain or emotion regulation and engaging in self-injury was moderated by a belief in the ability to resist self-injury. People who had never self-injured were more likely to believe that self-injury would cause physical pain and believe they could resist self-injury. A belief in the ability to resist self-injury countered expectations that self-injury would result in emotion regulation. Conclusion: Results may inform college-based prevention and intervention efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
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