Affect and State Dysregulation as Moderators of the Relationship Between Childhood Sexual Abuse and Nonsuicidal Self-injury

Abstract

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a significant problem in both clinical and nonclinical populations. Affect and state dysregulation are frequently observed in survivors of childhood sexual abuse and in those who engage in NSSI. Both have been found to predict NSSI, and affect regulation has also been modeled as a mediator of NSSI. This study extends present research by modeling both affect and state dysregulation as moderators of NSSI. The findings are discussed as an extension of the tension reduction theory and within a conceptualization of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as an asymmetry of the approach-avoidance neurophysiological system.