Non-suicidal self-injury: emotion regulation strategies in a sample of Italian undergraduate students

Background and aims.– Several studies conducted all over the world claim that suicidality and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) are highly prevalent in college students. Research suggests that difficulties in emotion regulation may play a role in NSSI but the relationship between the two constructs is still uncertain as the discriminating factor between those who perform self-injury behaviors and those who do not remains unclear. The purpose of our study is to examine the connection between NSSI, difficulties in emotion regulation and emotion regulation strategies. We hypothesized that even in non-clinical population individuals that report greater difficulty in regulating emotions would be more likely to present self-injury behaviors. Methods.– Participants included 150 undergraduate students. Demographic information, including clinical history, were collected in a form. Non-suicidal self-injury was assessed using Deliberate Self-Harm Inventory (Gratz, 2001), difficulties in emotion regulation were assessed using Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS; Gratz & Roemer, 2004), whereas emotion regulation strategies were assessed with Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ; Gross & John, 2003). Results.– Our results show a correlation between NSSI, Emotion Dysregulation and emotion regulation strategie

Emotion Regulation Strategies and suicidal ideation: the role of dysregulation of positive emotions

none3noneBeomonte Zobel S., Rogier G., Velotti P.Beomonte Zobel, S.; Rogier, G.; Velotti, P

COVID-19, Loneliness and Technological Addiction: Longitudinal Data

The COVID-19 outbreak has been shown to have had a negative impact on mental health: furthermore, lockdown measures may have increased levels of loneliness and addiction. Preliminary studies indicated an increased frequency of gaming and social media use during this time and augmented levels of loneliness likely account for the increase in gaming and social media addiction during lockdown. We conducted a longitudinal study administering a battery of self-report questionnaires at the beginning of lockdown (Stage 1) and three days before the end of the lockdown (Stage 2). Specifically, we measured loneliness feelings, frequency of gaming, and social media use, as well as both gaming and social media addiction. Data were analysed using Structural Equation Modeling. We found that loneliness levels longitudinally predicted both gaming and social media addiction, even when controlling for gaming and social media use at Stage 1. Increased feelings of loneliness, a well-known risk factor for gaming, along with social media addiction, may be a central variable heightening vulnerability to the onset or the maintenance of technological addiction during forced social isolation. Thus, future preventive interventions may want to target this issue

Investigation of the role played by Pathological personality, interpersonal problems and emotion dysregulation in Facebook addiction

none3noneRogier G., Beomonte Zobel S., Velotti P.Rogier, G.; Beomonte Zobel, S.; Velotti, P

On the Road Leading to Non-Suicidal Self-Injury: Brief Report on Narcissistic Vulnerability and Shame

Background: Recent empirical research showed that pathological narcissism is related to Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI). However, both narcissistic vulnerability and narcissistic grandiosity were resulted related to NSSI and the differences between them and their role in NSSI remains unclear. Some authors underlined the potential role of shame in the genesis of self-directed aggression.Objectives: This study investigates the role of shame in the relationship between both vulnerable and grandiose narcissism and self-harm severity.Methods: We administered Pathological Narcissism Inventory (PNI), Test of Self-Conscious Affect (TOSCA) and Deliberate Self Harm Inventory (DSHI) to a sample of 149 community participants (42% males) with a mean age of 27.55 years (SD=12.3).Results: Controlling for age and gender, we found that DSHI scores correlated significantly with the vulnerable dimension of narcissism but not with the grandiose one. But, both the vulnerable and grandiose dimension of narcissism correlated with interpersonal shame levels. Finally, we found a positive interaction between PNI vulnerable factor and shame levels in predicting Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) severity.Conclusions: Differentiating the grandiose from the vulnerable facet of narcissism appears central when investigating the relationship between NSSI and narcissistic personality. Moreover, our study suggests that shame experiences have a remarkable influence importantly account for this relationship. Future directions and clinical implications are discussed

State of the art of studies investigating the relationship between emotion regulation and gambling disorder: preliminary results from a systematic review study

Background: Despite the fact that the role played by Emotion Regulation (ER) in Gam-bling Disorder (GD) has been for long neglected in the gambling research field, a growing number of recent studies investigated this topic. Still, the role of ER in GD remains under-mined and ignored in most treatment protocols or guidelines. This may be partially due to the lack of systematic examination of empirical results providing solid and definitive indications that can be translated in clinical practice. The aim of the present study is thus to conduct a systematic review on such topic.Methods: Following the PRISMA statements, a systematic search was conducted.Results: We identified twenty-eight studies that explored ER features and strategies in gambling. Despite most of the study supported the hypothesis of a relationship between GD and general ER deficits, results are not consistent with regard to the nature of the features characterizing ER profiles of DGs. Also, results appear to differ as a function of the sample used across studies. Finally, despite promising preliminary evidences, some features of ER appeared to be under-examined in empirical literature (e.g. rumination processes).Discussion: Clinical implications, methodological issues and future lines of research are discussed

Personality disorders traits, interpersonal problems and emotion dysregulation as predictors of Facebook addiction

Background: Some empirical data suggest that Facebook Addiction (FA) is underlined by difficulties in emotion regulation. We aimed to investigate the role played by personality disorder traits, interpersonal problems and emotion dysregulation in FA. Methods: We administered to a sample of community participants (N = 270; 78.5% females; Mage = 41 years, SD = 14.05), the Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale (BFAS), the Personality Inventory Index for DSM-5 (PID-5), the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) and the Interpersonal Problem Index-47 (IPI47). Results: Controlling for age and gender, we found that the IPI Aggression subscale, the Negative Affectivity domain of the PID-5 and the DERS Total score positively and significantly predicted BFAS scores. Moreover, results showed that emotion dysregulation partially mediated the relationship between personality disorder traits and FA severity whereas interpersonal problems moderated the direct relationship between pathological personality and FA severity. Conclusions: Our results shed light on the complex pattern of relationships between these variables