Relationships between Self-Criticism, Rejection Sensitivity, Self-Attack, and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury

Abstract

Background: This study aims to investigate the relationships between self-criticism, rejection sensitivity, self-attack, and non-suicidal self-injury among college students, and to verify a path model to predict non-suicidal self-injury. Methods: The participants were 239 male and female college students who had experienced self-injury. The psychological tests used in this study were the Inventory of Statement about Self-Injury, Form of Self-Criticizing/Attacking and Self-Reassurance Scale, and the Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire. Results: Results showed that self-criticism, rejection sensitivity, and self-attack were positively correlated with non-suicidal self-injury, and that rejection sensitivity was positively correlated with self-criticism and self-attack. A model was adopted that includes a direct path from self-criticism to non-suicidal self-injury, while self-criticism and rejection sensitivity affect non-suicidal self-injury indirectly through self-attack. Conclusions: It was found that rejection sensitivity indirectly affects non-suicidal self-injury through self-attack, and self-criticism directly affects non-suicidal self-injury and indirectly affects non-suicidal self-injury through self-attack.