Emotion dysregulation and childhood trauma are not significantly associated with NSSI scar cognition among Indonesian emerging adults
DOI: https://doi.org/10.33024/minh.v9i5.3610
Childhood Trauma Emerging Adults Emotion Dysregulation Non-Suicidal Self-Injury
Abstract
Background: Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI) represents a significant public health issue among emerging adults globally and in Indonesia, heavily framed as a byproduct of emotional and developmental vulnerabilities.
Purpose: To examine whether emotion dysregulation and childhood trauma were individually and jointly associated with NSSI scar cognition among Indonesian emerging adults.
Method: Utilizing a cross-sectional correlational design. Data were collected online via Google Forms using a purposive sampling technique based on specific inclusion criteria from 105 emerging adults aged 18–30 with a history of NSSI within the last 6 months. Instruments included the Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Scar Cognition Scale (NSSI-SCS), Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale–18 (DERS-18), and Childhood Trauma Questionnaire–Short Form (CTQ-SF). Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression and Pearson product-moment correlation.
Results: The multiple regression analysis revealed no significant simultaneous relationship between emotion dysregulation, childhood trauma, and NSSI scar cognition (R = 0.117, R² = 0.014, F = 0.712, p = 0.493). Furthermore, no significant relationship was found partially between emotion dysregulation and NSSI (r = 0.070, p = 0.239) or between childhood trauma and NSSI (r = -0.101, p = 0.153), indicating that all proposed hypotheses were not supported.
Conclusion: Emotion dysregulation and childhood trauma were not significantly associated with NSSI scar cognition in this sample. These findings should be interpreted cautiously because of the cross-sectional design, nonprobability sampling, and modified measurement instruments.
Downloads
References
Andersson, H., Aspeqvist, E., Dahlström, Ö., Svedin, C. G., Jonsson, L. S., Landberg, Å., & Zetterqvist, M. (2022). Emotional dysregulation and trauma symptoms mediate the relationship between childhood abuse and non-suicidal self-injury in adolescents. Frontiers in psychiatry, 13, 897081.
Andover, M. S., & Morris, B. W. (2014). Expanding and clarifying the role of emotion regulation in non-suicidal self-injury. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 59(11), 569–575.
Arnett, J. J. (2000). Emerging adulthood: A theory of development from the late teens through the twenties. American psychologist, 55(5), 469-480.
Bernstein, D. P., Stein, J. A., Newcomb, M. D., Walker, E., Pogge, D., Ahluvalia, T., Stokes, J., Handelsman, L., Medrano, M., Desmond, D., & Zule, W. (2003). Development and validation of a brief screening version of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. Child Abuse & Neglect, 27(2), 169–190.
Burke, T. A., Ammerman, B. A., Hamilton, J. L., & Stange, J. P. (2017). Non-suicidal self-injury scar cognition scale: Development and initial validation. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 41(1), 130–141.
Chapman, A. L., Gratz, K. L., & Brown, M. Z. (2006). Solving the puzzle of deliberate self-harm: The experiential avoidance model. Behaviour research and therapy, 44(3), 371-394.
Felitti, V. J., Anda, R. F., Nordenberg, D., Williamson, D. F., Spitz, A. M., Edwards, V., Koss, M. P., & Marks, J. S. (1998). Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in adults: The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 14(4), 245–258.
Ford, J. D., & Gómez, J. M. (2015). The relationship of psychological trauma and dissociative and posttraumatic stress disorders to non-suicidal self-injury and suicidality: A review. Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 16(3), 232–271.
Fu, W., Li, X., Ji, S., Yang, T., Chen, L., Guo, Y., & He, K. (2024). The relationship between childhood trauma and non-suicidal self-injury behavior in adolescents with depression: the mediating role of rumination. Psychology research and behavior management, 1477-1485.
Gratz, K. L., & Roemer, L. (2004). Multidimensional assessment of emotion regulation and dysregulation: Development, factor structure, and initial validation of the difficulties in emotion regulation scale. Journal of psychopathology and behavioral assessment, 26(1), 41-54.
Hasking, P., Whitlock, J., Voon, D., & Rose, A. (2016). A cognitive-emotional model of non-suicidal self-injury: Using emotion regulation and cognitive processes to explain why people self-injure. Cognition and Emotion, 31(8), 1543–1556.
Insani, S. M., & Savira, S. I. (2023). Studi kasus: Faktor penyebab perilaku self-harm pada remaja perempuan. Character Jurnal Penelitian Psikologi, 10(2), 439-454.
Iswanti, D. I., Lai, L. L., Saifudin, M. M. Y., Kandar, K., Dewi, R. K., & Cahyaningrum, D. D. (2024). The predictor of non-suicidal self-injury behavior among adolescents: A cross-sectional study. Jurnal Psikologi Indonesia, 13(1), 45–58.
Klonsky, E. D., & Muehlenkamp, J. J. (2007). Self-injury: A guide for school counselors. Professional School Counseling, 11(1), 60–68.
Liu, J., Wang, Y., Liu, X., Li, J., & Xing, S. (2023). Experiencing stress impact on adolescent repetitive non-suicidal self-injury: the mediating role of emotion dysregulation and maladaptive cognitive schemas. Journal of affective disorders, 339, 392-399.
McLaughlin, K. A., Weissman, D., & Bitrán, D. (2019). Childhood adversity and neural development: A systematic review. Annual Review of Developmental Psychology, 1, 277–312.
Moloney, F., Amini, J., Sinyor, M., Schaffer, A., Lanctôt, K. L., & Mitchell, R. H. (2024). Sex differences in the global prevalence of non-suicidal self-injury in adolescents: a meta-analysis. JAMA network open, 7(6), e2415436.
Nock, M. K. (2009). Why do people hurt themselves? New insights into the nature and functions of self-injury. Current directions in psychological science, 18(2), 78-83.
Nock, M. K., & Prinstein, M. J. (2004). A functional approach to the assessment of self-mutilative behavior. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 72(5), 885.
Norman, R. E., Byambaa, M., De, R., Butchart, A., Scott, J., & Vos, T. (2012). The long-term health consequences of child physical abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS Medicine, 9(11), e1001349.
Rachma, A., & Hendrawan, D. (2025). Pathway linking executive function problems and non-suicidal self-injury among adolescents: The mediating role of emotion dysregulation. Psikohumaniora: Jurnal Penelitian Psikologi, 10(1), 43-58.
Serafini, G., Canepa, G., Adavastro, G., Nebbia, J., Belvederi Murri, M., Erbuto, D., & Amore, M. (2017). The relationship between childhood maltreatment and non-suicidal self-injury: a systematic review. Frontiers in psychiatry, 8, 149.
Teicher, M. H., & Samson, J. A. (2016). Annual research review: Enduring neurobiological effects of childhood abuse and neglect. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 57(3), 241–266.
Victor, S. E., & Klonsky, E. D. (2016). Validation of a brief version of the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS-18) in five samples. Psychological Assessment, 28(11), 1461–1469.
Wolff, J. C., Thompson, E., Thomas, S. A., Nesi, J., Bettis, A. H., Ransford, B., & Liu, R. T. (2019). Emotion dysregulation and non-suicidal self-injury: A systematic review and meta-analysis. European psychiatry, 59, 25-36.
Xie, X., Liu, J., Gong, X., Sun, T., Li, Y., Liu, Z., Yang, B. X., Zhang, L., Zhu, K., & Cai, Z. (2023). Relationship between childhood trauma and non-suicidal self-injury among adolescents with depressive disorder: mediated by negative life events and coping style. Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment, 2271-2281.
Yates, T. M. (2004). The developmental psychopathology of self-injurious behavior: Compensatory regulation in posttraumatic adaptation. Clinical psychology review, 24(1), 35-74.
Yudiyasiwi, F. R., & Anganthi, N. R. N. (2024). The role of family harmony, emotion-focused coping, stressful life events on non-suicidal self-injury behavior in adolescents. Jurnal Ilmiah Psikologi Terapan, 12(1), 60-68.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 TIARA ANNISYA NI'AM
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
