Predicting Self-harm: Factors Associated with Self-injurious Behaviors in College Students

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a severe personality disorder characterized by instability of mood, relationships and self-image as well as impulsive, self-damaging, and suicidal behaviors. One of the more disturbing symptoms of BPD is self-injurious behavior, a symptom that occurs in 50 to 80% of individuals diagnosed with BPD. However, interest in self-harm in the general population, particularly among college-aged individuals, has increased in recent years as researchers have become aware of the increasing prevalence of this phenomenon. Several variables have been found to be associated with self-harm, including BPD symptoms, dissociation, depression, substance abuse, impulsivity and decision-making deficits. However, there has been little investigation of the role of these factors as predictors of self-harm. In addition, although there are gender differences in the prevalence of BPD, depression, and substance abuse, few studies have examined gender differences in self-harm behaviors.