@article{ref1,
title="The psychophysiology of self-mutilation: Evidence of tension reduction",
journal="Archives of suicide research",
year="1998",
author="Brain, Kerryn L. and Haines, Janet and Williams, Christopher L.",
volume="4",
number="3",
pages="227-242",
abstract="Psychophysiological and psychological arousal patterns of individuals who self-mutilate during imaged self-mutilation were examined. Imaged control events (accidental injury, anger, neutral) were compared between self-mutilation and control groups. Personalised guided imagery scripts were presented in four stages: scene setting, approach, incident, and consequence. Results depicted a decrease in psychophysiological arousal when self-mutilation participants imaged cutting themselves. A decrease in psychological response was not evident until after cutting. Responses to self-mutilation imagery were different from those demonstrated during control imagery. A comparison of responses to self-mutilation imagery between past and currently self-mutilating participants indicated no difference in the psychophysiological arousal patterns to self-mutilation imagery. A lag was evident for psychological arousal for the retrospective sample but not for the current group. These results indicated that self-mutilative behaviour is maintained by the psychophysiological and psychological tension-reducing qualities of the act. When a person is no longer engaging in the behaviour, the feelings associated with the act are open to reinterpretation.<p />",
language="en",
issn="1381-1118",
doi="",
url="http://dx.doi.org/"
}