@article{ref1,
title="Implicit cognition about self-injury predicts actual self-injurious behavior: results from a longitudinal study of adolescents",
journal="Journal of child psychology and psychiatry",
year="2015",
author="Glenn, Catherine R. and Kleiman, Evan M. and Cha, Christine B. and Nock, Matthew K. and Prinstein, Mitchell J.",
volume="57",
number="7",
pages="805-813",
abstract="BACKGROUND: The implicit association hypothesis of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) proposes that individuals who engage in self-injury develop, over time, strong associations between themselves and NSSI, and their identification with this behavior guides their future selection of NSSI to cope. Prior research has established a relationship between implicit NSSI associations (using an Implicit Association Test for Self-Injury) and engagement in NSSI. However, previous studies have been small and cross-sectional, and thus underpowered to examine the nature of this association and the extent to which implicit associations predict the persistence of NSSI. <br><br>METHODS: This study builds on previous research in a prospective, longitudinal examination of implicit self-identification with NSSI in a large sample of middle school students. NSSI behavior and implicit NSSI associations were assessed annually in school at three time points. <br><br>RESULTS: Adolescents who engaged in NSSI exhibited stronger implicit self-identification with NSSI than adolescents who did not engage in NSSI. Moreover, implicit NSSI identification was stronger among adolescents who engaged in cutting, frequent NSSI, and recent NSSI. A reciprocal association was observed between NSSI frequency and implicit NSSI identification over 1 year. Notably, implicit NSSI identification uniquely and prospectively predicted engagement in NSSI over the subsequent year. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Implicit self-identification with NSSI may track both trait- and state-related changes in the behavior and, importantly, may help predict continued engagement in NSSI.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0021-9630",
doi="10.1111/jcpp.12500",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.12500"
}