Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40065550›Full record

ArticleBJPsych open2025

Characteristics of self-injurious behaviour and early traumatic experiences: associations with emotional reactivity, depression and aggression in university students.

Irina Jarvers, Elisa Heidingsfelder, Angelika Ecker, Stephanie Kandsperger, Romuald Brunner, Daniel Schleicher

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BJPsych open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Irina JarversDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8414-2895
Elisa HeidingsfelderDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
Angelika EckerDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4387-0634
Stephanie KandspergerDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3925-7615
Romuald BrunnerDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
Daniel SchleicherDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4518-3512

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundA lifetime history of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a risk factor for subsequent behavioural and emotional problems, including depression, aggression and heightened emotional reactivity. Traumatic experiences, which are frequently reported by individuals with NSSI, also show predictive links to these mental health problems. However, the exact connections between these areas and their subdomains remain unclear.

aimsTo explore in detail the relationships of specific characteristics of NSSI (e.g. termination in adolescence, duration, frequency, reinforcement mechanisms) and various types of traumatic experience (emotional, physical, sexual) with distinct aspects of emotional reactivity (sensitivity, intensity, persistence), aggression (behavioural, cognitive, affective) and severity of depression in university students.

methodVia online survey, 150 university students aged 18 to 25 years, who had self-injured at least once, provided information on NSSI, and completed questionnaires including the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Patient Health Questionnaire, Emotion Reactivity Scale, and Aggression Questionnaire. Regression analyses were conducted to determine risk factors linked to increased depression scores, aggression and emotional reactivity. The study was pre-registered in the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00023731).

resultsChildhood emotional abuse contributed to emotional reactivity, aggression and depressive symptom severity (

conclusionsChildhood emotional abuse significantly contributes to emotional and behavioural problems and needs to be considered in NSSI therapy. NSSI was found to persist into adulthood when used as an emotion regulation strategy.

Indexed as

Aggressiondepressive disordersemotional reactivityself-harmtrauma and stressor-related disorders

Identifiers

PMID40065550
PMCPMC12001921

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.