Early Adolescent Non-Suicidal Self-Injury and Sensory Preference Differences: An Exploratory Study
type: CreativeWork
description: BACKGROUND: Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) occurs in 13% to 20% of adolescents, and is often indicative of deeper internal or social problems. A close review of current explanatory models of NSSI suggested that underlying individual sensory preferences may contribute substantial explanations for the self-regulatory functions of NSSI, as well as have implications for treatment approaches. In the context of integrating sensory processing models with prominent functional NSSI models, this dissertation research compared sensory preferences in youth who engaged in NSSI to sensory preferences of youth who did not engage in NSSI. OBJECTIVE: NSSI-engaging youth were hypothesized to have lower threshold sensory preferences (sensation avoiding and sensory sensitive), and higher sensitivity (low threshold) in touch processing, auditory processing, and modulation of sensory input affecting emotional response. Sensory preferences were hypothesized to predict NSSI functionality, and trauma history and symptomology were hypothesized to predict NSSI and sensory preferences. METHODS: Youth (n = 108; 56% female; 43% Hispanic) aged 8-14 completed self-report items regarding knowledge, thoughts, and engagement in NSSI, the Functional Assessment of Self-Mutilation (FASM) to evaluate type and functionality of NSSI, and the Adolescent / Adult Sensory Profile to evaluate sensory preferences (low registration, sensation seeking, sensory sensitive, sensation avoiding). Parents (90% female; Mage = 39.4 (SD = 6.9)) completed the Sensory Profile as a secondary measure of youth sensory preferences and the UCLA post- traumatic stress disorder reaction index (PTSD-RI) to evaluate youth trauma history and symptomology. RESULTS: NSSI-engaging youth (N = 14) scored significantly higher than Non-NSSI-engaging youth (N = 85) in the sensation avoiding (Cohen's d = .83) and low registration (Cohen's d = .66) domains. Auditory sensitivity (youth-reported) significantly predicted NSSI after controlling fo…
abstract: BACKGROUND: Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) occurs in 13% to 20% of adolescents, and is often indicative of deeper internal or social problems. A close review of current explanatory models of NSSI suggested that underlying individual sensory preferences may contribute substantial explanations for the self-regulatory functions of NSSI, as well as have implications for treatment approaches. In the context of integrating sensory processing models with prominent functional NSSI models, this dissertation research compared sensory preferences in youth who engaged in NSSI to sensory preferences of youth who did not engage in NSSI. OBJECTIVE: NSSI-engaging youth were hypothesized to have lower threshold sensory preferences (sensation avoiding and sensory sensitive), and higher sensitivity (low threshold) in touch processing, auditory processing, and modulation of sensory input affecting emotional response. Sensory preferences were hypothesized to predict NSSI functionality, and trauma history and symptomology were hypothesized to predict NSSI and sensory preferences. METHODS: Youth (n = 108; 56% female; 43% Hispanic) aged 8-14 completed self-report items regarding knowledge, thoughts, and engagement in NSSI, the Functional Assessment of Self-Mutilation (FASM) to evaluate type and functionality of NSSI, and the Adolescent / Adult Sensory Profile to evaluate sensory preferences (low registration, sensation seeking, sensory sensitive, sensation avoiding). Parents (90% female; Mage = 39.4 (SD = 6.9)) completed the Sensory Profile as a secondary measure of youth sensory preferences and the UCLA post- traumatic stress disorder reaction index (PTSD-RI) to evaluate youth trauma history and symptomology. RESULTS: NSSI-engaging youth (N = 14) scored significantly higher than Non-NSSI-engaging youth (N = 85) in the sensation avoiding (Cohen's d = .83) and low registration (Cohen's d = .66) domains. Auditory sensitivity (youth-reported) significantly predicted NSSI after controlling fo…
author: Christensen, Jacquelyn Shea
keywords: adolescence, non-suicidal self-injury, self-harm, self-injury, self-regulation, sensory processing, Clinical Psychology, Developmental Psychology
date published: 2012-01-01T08:00:00Z
date modified: 2026-07-24T01:39:44Z
provider: Claremont Graduate University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Claremont Graduate University