Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42010304›Full record

ArticleThe International journal of eating disorders2026

Contra-Hedonic Functions of Self-Destructive Behaviors in Adolescents.

Frances Grace Hart, Sharina Hamm, Leily M Behbehani, Kathryn R Fox, Kathryn A Coniglio, Erin E Reilly, Leah H Somerville, Shirley B Wang

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in The International journal of eating disorders, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Contra-Hedonic Functions of Self-Destructive Behaviors in Adolescents.The International journal of eating disorders · 2026
    Article
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

8 authors.

Frances Grace HartDepartment of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0002-9803-6804
Sharina HammDepartment of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1614-3124
Leily M BehbehaniDepartment of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0009-4374-7503
Kathryn R FoxDepartment of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2697-7771
Kathryn A ConiglioEquip Health, Carlsbad, California, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8549-2790
Erin E ReillyDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9269-0747
Leah H SomervilleDepartment of Psychology and Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3747-6884
Shirley B WangDepartment of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8583-3014

Funding

Using Computational Modeling to Test Reinforcement Learning as a Predictor of Response in Family-Based Treatment for Adolescent Anorexia NervosaK23MH131871 · NIMH · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · PI Erin E. Reilly · 2022 to 2026
$982k
NIH HHS K23MH131871NIMH NIH HHS K23 MH131871UCSF Research Evaluation and Allocation Committee (REAC), John E. Cox FundUCSF Weill NeurohubUC Society of Hellman Fellows
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveMany self-destructive behaviors, including eating disorder (ED) behaviors (restrictive eating, binge eating, and purging), and nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), serve an emotion regulation function. To date, it has been assumed that this is pro-hedonic in nature (e.g., to decrease negative affect). However, contra-hedonic motivations (to increase/maintain negative affect, decrease positive affect) are prevalent during adolescence and may also reinforce self-destructive behaviors. In this study, we explored the presence, frequency, and clinical characteristics of contra-hedonic functions of ED behaviors and NSSI among adolescents.

methodParticipants were drawn from a larger longitudinal study and recruited online via social media. The present study included a transdiagnostic sample of 137 adolescents (75.91% White, 9.0% Hispanic, 75.18% female, mean age = 15.10 years) who completed surveys assessing the frequency, severity, contra-hedonic, and pro-hedonic functions of ED behaviors and NSSI.

resultsAdolescents reported engaging in restrictive eating, binge eating, purging, and NSSI for each contra-hedonic function assessed, with 81% of participants endorsing at least one contra-hedonic function of ED behaviors and/or NSSI. Contra-hedonic motivations were highest for NSSI compared to ED behaviors and were consistently associated with a desire to self-punish.

conclusionsThis study sheds light on a largely unexplored dimension of reinforcement functions of ED behaviors and NSSI: adolescents may not only engage in these behaviors to feel better, but also to make themselves feel worse. Further characterization of both pro- and contra-hedonic functions of maladaptive behaviors in adolescents represents a promising avenue through which behavioral interventions can be more precisely designed and targeted.

Indexed as

Adolescent BehaviorEmotional RegulationFeeding and Eating DisordersMotivationSelf-Injurious BehaviorAdolescentFemaleHumansLongitudinal StudiesMaleadolescentsbinge eatingcontra‐hedonic functionsnon‐suicidal self‐injurypurgingrestrictive eatingself‐destructive behaviors

Identifiers

PMID42010304
PMCPMC13380959

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.