Adolescent Self-Mutilating Behaviors: Experiential Avoidance Coupled with Imitation? Page: I
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Howe-Martin, Laura S. Adolescent self-mutilating behaviors.: Experiential avoidance
coupled with imitation? Doctor of Philosophy (Clinical Psychology), August 2008, 139 pp., 35
tables, references, 138 titles.
Repetitive self-mutilation (RSM) has become increasingly prevalent among adolescents.
Empirical research has pinpointed several correlates of this behavior, but the initiation and
maintenance of RSM among adolescents are not well understood. The experiential avoidance
model (EAM) proposes that self-mutilation is a behavior that allows for the avoidance or
alteration of unwanted internal experiences, and that it is negatively reinforced with repetition.
The current study explored the usefulness of the EAM as an explanatory theory for adolescent
RSM, with the additional incorporation of issues of social context. Adolescents (N= 211) from
three school-based samples completed self-report questionnaires. One-third of students reported
at least one incident of purposeful, non-suicidal self-mutilation and 16% had engaged in self-
mutilation repeatedly within the past 6 months. Both regression and group analyses indicated that
adolescents who engage in RSM report greater psychological distress, a greater incidence of
functionally equivalent behaviors, and greater exposure to self-mutilation among peers and/or in
the media, when compared to their counterparts who have not engaged in RSM. Suicidal
ideation/behaviors were consistently the strongest predictors of current self-mutilation behaviors.
Clinical implications, limitations, and suggestions for future research are discussed.
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Howe-Martin, Laura S. Adolescent Self-Mutilating Behaviors: Experiential Avoidance Coupled with Imitation?, dissertation, August 2008; Denton, Texas. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc9087/m1/2/?q=virtual+music+rare+book: accessed June 5, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; .