Study Of Relationship Between Shame, Guilt And Adolescent’s Self-harm Behavior

Objective:Nonsuicidal self-injury(NSSI)is a maladaptivebehavior.According to Emotion Management Model and Self-punishment Model,adolescent’s self-harm behavior is aim to alleviate their negative emotions and punish themselves.Because of shame and guilt were two typical negative emotions,which was associated with the self-punishment appear.Thus,this research will using an questionnaire investigation and experimental study to explorethe relationship between the shame、guilt and the self-injury.In order to deep reveal the psychological mechanism about adolescent’s self-injury behavior.Method:In this study,we recruit two middle school students in Hunan province as the subjects,exploring the shame and guilt to the start up time of self-injury,and the regulation,which self-injury to these two types of emotions.Part one of this research was anquestionnaire investigation,using the Adolescents’ Self-Harm Scale,a Middle school students’ Sense of shame scale,a Middle school students’ Guilt Feeling scale,investigating the demographic variables about NSSI among 723 high school students.Part two of this research was an experimental study,using the Cold Pressor Test to stimulate the self-injury.In this part,simulating the NSSI process to explore the emotion to the start time about self-injury,also detect whether the shame or guilt will inducethe self-punish.Another part is to examine the regulation about self-injury to emotions,whether self-injury will reduce the sense of shame and guilt or not.Results:1.In our sample,33.5%adolescents conducted at least once NSSI;2.NSSIoccurrence was significantly in gender(t=3.28,p<0.01)、grade(F=3.78,p<0.01)、whether or not the one-child(t=1.96,p<0.05)and source(t=-2.26,p<0.01);3.Sense of shame was significantly positively correlated with the self-injury,and the sense of guilt was significantly negatively correlated with self-injury;4.A typical emotional events was efficiently arouse the negative emotions of the subjects,the self-punishment start time was significantly higher in shame group and guilt group than in the control group;5.Self-injury was alleviated the shame and guilt.Conclusion: shame and guilt was connected with self-injury.Shame and guilt triggered the self-injury,and self-injury mediated the shame and guilt.