Self-injurious behaviour in patients with anorexia nervosa: a quantitative study

Journal of Eating Disorders

Tamara Berends¹  Annemarie A. van Elburg²  Laurence Claes³  Nienke Kool-Goudzwaard⁴  Harmieke van Os-Medendorp⁵  Janneke M. de Man-van Ginkel⁵  Berno van Meijel⁶  Linda Smithuis⁷  Alexandra Dingemans⁸ 

[1] Altrecht Eating Disorders Rintveld;Clinical Psychology, Altrecht Eating Disorders Rintveld;Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven;Inholland University of Applied Sciences;Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, Department of Nursing Science, University Medical Center Utrecht, University Utrecht;Mental Health Nursing, Inholland University of Applied Sciences;Parnassia Psychiatric Institute;Rivierduinen Eating disorders Ursula, Rivierduinen;

关键词: Anorexia nervosa;    Feeding and eating disorders;    Self-harm;    Self-injurious behaviour;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s40337-018-0214-2

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Abstract Background Many patients with an eating disorder report difficulties in regulating their emotions and show a high prevalence of self-injurious behaviour. Several studies have stated that both eating disorder and self-injurious behaviour help emotion regulation, and are thus used as coping mechanisms for these patients. We aimed to determine the prevalence of self-injurious behaviour, its characteristics and its emotion-regulation function in patients with anorexia nervosa or an eating disorder not otherwise specified (n = 136). Methods A cross-sectional design using a self-report questionnaire. Mann–Whitney U-tests were conducted to compare the background and clinical variables between patients with self-injurious behaviour and patients without this type of behaviour. Changes in emotional state before and after self-injurious behaviour were tested by Wilcoxon signed rank tests. Results Our results showed a 41% prevalence of self-injurious behaviour in the previous month. Patients who performed self-injurious behaviour had a statistically significant longer treatment history for their eating disorder than those who did not. Whereas 55% of self-injuring patients had a secondary psychiatric diagnosis, only 21% of participants without self-injurious behaviour did. Regarding the impact of self-injurious behaviour, our results showed a significant increase in “feeling relieved” and a significant decrease in “feeling angry at myself”, “feeling anxious” and “feeling angry at others”. This indicates that self-injurious behaviour can be regarded as an emotion-regulation behaviour. Participants were usually aware of the causes of their self-injurious behaviour acts. Conclusions Professionals should systematically assess the occurrence of self-injurious behaviour in eating disorder patients, pay special attention to patients with more severe and comorbid psychopathology, and those with a long treatment history. This assessment should be followed by a functional analysis of the self-injurious behaviour and by effective therapeutic interventions alongside the eating disorder treatment.

【 授权许可】

Unknown