(PS11-48) Exploring the Functions of Self-criticism in the Relationship Between Depression and Self-injury

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is the act of intentionally hurting oneself without suicidal intent (Hooley, 2017). While there are several reasons why people engage in NSSI, the most commonly cited reason is to temporarily alleviate emotional distress (Taylor et al., 2018). People who self-injure are more likely to have affective disorders, such as depression (Tilton-Weaver et al., 2019) and depressive symptoms are a predictor of greater engagement in NSSI (Barrocas et al., 2015; Burke et al., 2015). Self-criticism, or negative thoughts about the self, is strongly associated with depression (Werner et al., 2019) and with NSSI (Zelkowitz & Cole, 2019). Self-criticism may also help to explain the relationship between depression and NSSI (Xavier et al, 2017). Most research in this area has focused on self-criticism that is done to persecute oneself, but previous research has conceptualized self-criticism as having two primary functions: to either self-persecute or to self-correct. Self-persecution involves punishing or oppressing the self, while self-correction involves being self-critical to correct one’s behavior (Gilbert et al., 2004). It is unclear if these different functions of self-criticism are differently related to depression and NSSI; therefore, the current study investigated whether different functions of self-criticism would mediate the relationship between depression symptoms and engagement in NSSI differently. A sample of 343 undergraduate students (Mage = 19.3 years, 74.% female, 72.8% Caucasian) completed self-report questionnaires that assessed the history and frequency of nonsuicidal self-injury (Inventory of Statements about Self Injury [ISAS]; Klonsky & Glenn, 2009), self-criticism (The Forms of Self-Criticisng/Attacking & Self-Reassuring Scale [FSCRS]; Gilbert, 2004), and depression (Depression Anxiety Stress Scales [DASS]; Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995). Participants with a history of NSSI were over-recruited to ensure an adequate range of study constructs were represented. This procedure resulted in 35.1% (n = 125) of the sample reporting a history of NSSI. A multiple mediation model was tested via bootstrapping using Model 4 of the PROCESS macro (Hayes, 2022). The depression subscale of the DASS was entered as the predictor, NSSI history was entered as the outcome, and each subscale of the FSCRS were entered as mediators. The direct effect of depression on NSSI history was significant (b = .604, SE = .23, p</span> = .009, 95% CI: .151, 1.06). Examination of the indirect effects of depression on NSSI history through each function of self-criticism revealed that self-persecution was significant (b = .68, SE = .19, 95% CI: .382, .1.13), while self-correction was not (b = .03, SE= .09, 95% CI: -.141, .209). The results indicate that the self-persecution function of self-criticism may, in part, explain the relationship between depression and NSSI. Specifically, people experiencing depression may self-persecute, and this may lead to subsequent engagement in NSSI. These findings highlight that a person’s reason for criticizing themselves may be important in predicting why depressive symptoms are associated with a history of NSSI.