The downside of being openminded: The positive relation between openness to experience and nonsuicidal self‐injury

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundSensation seeking and openness are two distinct, but related, individual differences that lead individuals to seek out intense sensations. As a result, these traits may also predispose individuals toward engaging in non‐suicidal self‐injury (NSSI); however, to date, no models have examined the relation between openness and NSSI after accounting for the influence of sensation.MethodThe goals of this study were to (1) examine the relation between openness and NSSI while accounting for sensation seeking in a sample of racially diverse undergraduates (N = 340) and (2) conduct a meta‐analysis of the existing research on the association between NSSI and openness.ResultsA negative binomial regression model demonstrated a significant positive association between NSSI and openness when accounting for sensation seeking; however, NSSI was not significantly related to sensation seeking. Moreover, multivariate meta‐analysis with robust variance revealed a small, but significant, association between NSSI and openness across 15 studies.ConclusionTogether, these results suggest a positive association between openness and NSSI, highlighting an area for future research in what role openness to experience might play in the development of NSSI.