Unwanted Pursuit Behavior Victimization as a Predictor of Engagement in Nonsuicidal Self-Injury

While prior research has studied associations between child abuse and nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), there is limited research assessing unwanted pursuit behavior (UPB) victimization and NSSI. In addition, few studies have assessed the self-reported functions of NSSI among survivors of violence. Among a sample of 18-25-year-old young adults (N = 333), both UPB victimization and child abuse were significantly associ- ated with NSSI frequency. In regression models, UPB victimization was associated with increased use of affect regulation, antidissociation/feeling-generation, self-punish- ment, and antisuicide functions, while child abuse was associated only with antidissocia- tion/feeling-generation and self-punishment. Affect regulation mediated the association between UPB victimization and NSSI frequency, but not the association between child victimization and NSSI frequency. Implications for research and clinical practice will be discussed.