Reasons for non-suicidal self-harm in adult male offenders with and without borderline personality traits

Abstract

The presented study aimed to advance understanding of the reasons for non-suicidal self-harm (NSSH) in adult male offenders, with and without borderline personality traits. 179 offenders completed self-report measures of NSSH and other clinical constructs, with 42 being identified as having self-harmed. Results were consistent with past research and supported the relative importance of intrapersonal over interpersonal functions, but also highlight that self-harm is performed rarely for one type of reason. The results also show that the presence of borderline personality traits increases the likelihood of endorsing a range of interpersonal reasons. These findings highlight the importance of understanding the range of reasons for engaging in NSSH to help manage the behaviour within the prison