Daily associations of interpersonal and emotional experiences following stressful events among young adults with and without nonsuicidal self-injury

Objectives Emotional and interpersonal dysfunction appears central to nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), yet research examining the interplay of these factors among individuals with NSSI is limited. This study aimed to specify such associations before and after daily stressful events among individuals with (vs. without) NSSI. Methods Young adult participants (M-age = 20.4) with past-year (n = 56) or no history (n = 47) of NSSI completed daily diary assessments over a 2-week period. Results No differences in rates of positive or negative interpersonal experiences before or after stressful events were identified. NSSI participants, however, reported greater negative emotion following stressful events compared with non-NSSI participants. The presence (vs. absence) of a positive interpersonal experience following a stressful event was related to lower negative emotional responses only in the NSSI group. Conclusion Positive interpersonal experiences may downregulate negative emotions following stressful events among individuals with NSSI, highlighting the potential relevance of interpersonal emotion regulation to this population.