Review and update on non-suicidal self-injury: who, how and why?

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is defined as the direct and deliberate destruction of one’s own body tissue in the absence of lethal intent. Following decades of progressive increase in the incidence of NSSI among adolescents and young adults, as well as growing scientific interest, the disorder was listed as a condition for further study in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (fifth edition). In this review we provide updated information on this phenomenon, focusing on: prevalence, course and prognosis; associated factors; its relationship with psychopathology; and the role of the mass media, social networks, and the internet. Finally, we discuss some conclusions and future proposals, emphasizing the need for collaborative work to better understand NSSI in Spain, and to improve prevention and treatment strategies.

Sex differences among treatment-seeking adult pathologic gamblers.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to explore the effect of sex as a moderator variable for gambling and clinical profiles in a large sample of Spanish treatment-seeking patients for pathologic gambling (PG). METHOD: Clinical and personality profiles were compared between 143 male and 143 female pathologic gamblers who sought consultation at a specialized hospital unit. Multiple regressions explored the incremental predictive accuracy of sex on PG severity in consideration of sociodemographic and psychologic characteristics. RESULTS: Men gambled most frequently using slot machines and lotteries, spent more money, and had most arguments with family and friends. Although the age of onset of PG was 7.1 years higher for females, the severity was equal for both sexes. Women evidenced more general psychopathology, with higher mean scores in all the Symptom ChekList-90 items scales (except for hostility and psychoticism), and had significantly higher scores for harm avoidance and lower scores for self-directedness than the male group. However, sex alone did not obtain a significant incremental validity for PG severity. CONCLUSIONS: These results may provide guidance for obtaining accurate diagnostic information about PG, properly identifying patients with specific needs and planning sex-specific targets.

Revisión y actualización de la autolesión no suicida: ¿quién, cómo y por qué? / Review and update on non-suicidal self-injury: who, how and why?

La autolesión no suicida (ANS) hace referencia a la destrucción directa y deliberada de la propia superficie corporal sin intención letal. Tras décadas presenciando un incremento progresivo de su incidencia entre adolescentes y adultos jóvenes, así como un creciente interés científico, la quinta edición del Manual Diagnóstico y Estadístico de los Trastornos Mentales ha incluido el trastorno por ANS como un diagnóstico que necesita más estudio. El propósito de esta revisión es proporcionar información actualizada sobre este fenómeno, centrándose en: prevalencia, curso y pronóstico, factores asociados a la ANS, su relación con la psicopatología y el papel de los medios de comunicación, las redes sociales e internet. Finalmente se plantean algunas conclusiones y propuestas de futuro, insistiendo en la necesidad del trabajo colaborativo para un mejor entendimiento del fenómeno de la ANS en España, así como para plantear estrategias de prevención y tratamiento

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is defined as the direct and deliberate destruction of one’s own body tissue in the absence of lethal intent. Following decades of progressive increase in the incidence of NSSI among adolescents and young adults, as well as growing scientific interest, the disorder was listed as a condition for further study in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (fifth edition). In this review we provide updated information on this phenomenon, focusing on: prevalence, course and prognosis; associated factors; its relationship with psychopathology; and the role of the mass media, social networks, and the internet. Finally, we discuss some conclusions and future proposals, emphasizing the need for collaborative work to better understand NSSI in Spain, and to improve prevention and treatment strategies