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Objectives: The way that individuals perceive themselves and others may be relevant in understanding difficulties with self‐harm. Repertory grids provide a relatively underutilized means of investigating self‐concept in people who self‐harm. This study aimed to examine the association between self‐concept, captured through a repertory grid method, and self‐harm. Method: Ninety‐eight participants with a history of self‐harm took part in the study. A repertory grid was used to derive distances between four elements ('current self', 'ideal self', 'self‐harming self', and 'others who self‐harm'). Associations between these distances and measures of self‐harm behaviour, well‐being and perceived recovery, were estimated. Results: Repertory grid distances were significantly associated with self‐harm. When adjusting for covariates, self‐harm in the past year was positively associated with a greater distance (or less perceived similarity) between current and ideal self, and a smaller distance (greater perceived similarity) between current self and others who self‐harm. Repertory grid distances were also associated with well‐being and perceived recovery. Conclusions: The results are consistent with the idea that self‐perception is associated with self‐harm and related difficulties. The results also highlight the potential utility of repertory grids as a tool for exploring self‐concept. The cross‐sectional nature of the study precludes inferences about directionality or the temporal characteristics of associations. Practitioner points: More recent experiences of self‐harm may be reflected in the way individuals perceive or construe themselves.The way in which individuals who self‐harm perceive or construe themselves may also be related to their current well‐being and perceived recovery.Repertory grids may be a useful tool in clinical practice for investigating self‐concept in those who self‐harm.Repertory grids may provide a more idiographic, clinical outcome assessment in those who self‐harm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI) can have a major impact on the lives of individuals and those around them. The way in which a person feels about and perceives themselves (i.e. self-concept) appears central to understanding NSSI. The current study investigates three variables linked to self-concept: shame, social comparison, and self-concept integration. We examine how well these variables differentiate people who report past NSSI, people who report current NSSI, and people who have never engaged in NSSI.Design: Cross-sectional.Method: Individuals reporting NSSI in the past year (n = 51), individuals with a history of NSSI but none in the past year (n = 44), and individuals with no history of NSSI (n = 110) were compared on measures of shame, social comparison, and self-concept integration.Results: Shame was elevated in people with a history of NSSI but did not distinguish between past and current NSSI when other variables were controlled for. Self-concept integration was poorer in people reporting current NSSI than people reporting past NSSI, even when controlling for other variables.Conclusions: The results support the role of shame as a general marker for NSSI risk, but suggest self-concept integration may fluctuate more dynamically in relation to the recency of NSSI. The study is limited by a non-matched student control group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]