TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2022//
TI  - Do attachment-related differences in reflective functioning explain associations between expressed emotion and youth self-harm?
JO  - Current psychology
A1  - Kennedy-Turner, Jamie
A1  - Sawrikar, Vilas
A1  - Clark, Lucy
A1  - Griffiths, Helen
SP  - ePub
EP  - ePub
VL  - ePub
IS  - ePub
N2  - Youth self-harm is associated with poor health outcomes and attempted and completed suicide. Associations exist between self-harm and expressed emotion (EE), attachment insecurity, and reflective functioning (RF), but these associations are poorly understood. This study evaluates a mediation model in which perceived caregiver EE (pEE) exerts an indirect effect on youth self-harm through attachment insecurity and RF uncertainty. 461 participants aged 16-24 years completed an online survey. Statistical analyses revealed significant direct effects of pEE on attachment insecurity, and of RF uncertainty on self-harm; however, some direct effects were specific to pEE from female caregivers, and attachment insecurity in youth relationships with female caregivers. A significant direct effect of pEE on self-harm was found for pEE from male caregivers only. Significant indirect effects of pEE on self-harm through attachment anxiety and RF uncertainty were found only in relation to female caregivers. The findings encourage family-, attachment-, and mentalization-based approaches to preventing and treating youth self-harm, with a recommendation that caregivers are given adequate support, education, and skills-based training following youth disclosures of self-harm. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12144-022-03614-w.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1046-1310
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-03614-w
ID  - ref1
ER  -