TY  - JOUR
PY  - 1999//
TI  - Self-mutilating behaviour of psychiatric inpatients
JO  - European psychiatry
A1  - Nijman, H. L.
A1  - Dautzenberg, M.
A1  - Merckelbach, H. L.
A1  - Jung, P.
A1  - Wessel, I.
A1  - del Campo, J. A.
SP  - 4
EP  - 10
VL  - 14
IS  - 1
N2  - In the present study two broad hypotheses about the origins of self-mutilation in psychiatric patients were evaluated. The first hypothesis states that self-mutilation originates from child abuse and experiences of neglect and is connected to dissociation in later life. The second hypothesis views self-mutilation as the consequence of impulse control problems. To test these two hypotheses, data concerning traumatic childhood experiences and dissociative symptoms (hypothesis 1), as well as data concerning aggressiveness, obsessive-compulsiveness and sensation seeking (hypothesis 2) were collected in a sample of 54 psychiatric inpatients. Twenty-four out of 54 patients (44%) reported having engaged in self-mutilation. Mean age of onset of this behaviour was 23 years. Self-report measures of self-mutilators were more in line with the first than with the second hypothesis. That is, patients who engaged in self-mutilation reported more traumatic childhood experiences and dissociative symptoms than did control patients. The two groups did not differ in terms of aggressiveness, obsessive-compulsiveness, and sensation seeking. In line with earlier studies, the current results indicate that self-mutilating behaviour is linked to a history of abuse and neglect.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0924-9338
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/
ID  - ref1
ER  -