The Mediating Role of Self-Criticism in the Relationship between Parental Expressed Emotion and NSSI

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is found at high rates among adolescents and young adults and is associated with many negative consequences, warranting additional research. Two factors that may contribute to NSSI during this time period are one’s levels of self-criticism and perceptions of their parental relationships; however, these relationships have received limited attention. The purpose of this current study was to address this gap in the literature. Adolescents and young adults (n = 294) completed measures of perceived parental expressed emotion, self-criticism, and NSSI. Participants with a history of NSSI reported perceiving their parents as providing less emotional support, inducing more irritation, being more intrusive, and expressing more criticism compared to those without a history of NSSI. These individuals also endorsed greater self-criticism. Further, self-criticism mediated the relationship between perceived parental expressed emotion and NSSI occurrence, such that those with higher reported self-criticism and greater perceived parental expressed emotion were more likely to engage in NSSI.