Symposium 146 - Dynamic Resilience: Modifiable Factors Buffering Risk for Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors

Chair(s)

• 

  Jennifer Muehlenkamp, Ph.D. (she/her/hers)

  Professor of Psychology
  University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
  Eau Claire, Wisconsin

Discussant(s)

• SV

  Sarah E. Victor, Ph.D. (she/her/hers)

  Assistant Professor
  Texas Tech University
  Lubbock, Texas

Presenter(s)

• BA

  Brooke Ammerman, Ph.D. (she/her/hers)

  Assistant Professor
  University of Notre Dame
  South Bend, Indiana
• 

  Amy Brausch, Ph.D. (she/her/hers)

  Professor of Psychological Sciences
  Western Kentucky University
  Bowling Green, Kentucky
• 

  Brianna Turner, Ph.D. (she/her/hers)

  Associate Professor
  University of Victoria
  Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
• 

  Jennifer Muehlenkamp, Ph.D. (she/her/hers)

  Professor of Psychology
  University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
  Eau Claire, Wisconsin
• BP

  Brianna Pastro, B.S. (she/her/hers)

  Fordham University
  Bronx, New York

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicidal thoughts and behaviors are closely intertwined (Muehlenkamp et al., 2022; Voss et al., 2020) and continue to be significant public health concerns among youth and young adults (Kiekens et al., 2021). While extensive scholarship has provided insights into potential risk factors and mechanisms that may contribute to the development of NSSI or suicidal thoughts/behaviors (Fox et al., 2015; Turecki et al., 2019), much of this work fails to account for the role of protective factors. Recent work examining processes of risk and recovery from NSSI and suicide highlight that individuals simultaneously struggle with their vulnerabilities and posses resilience as they navigate their self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (SITBs; Lewis & Hasking, 2021). A very limited amount of research has explored characteristics that buffer known risk factors for SITBs, and studies evaluating factors that may mitigate the transition from NSSI to suicidal behavior is even more scarce. Much of what is known about potential protective factors reflects lifetime experiences which restricts knowledge regarding factors that may reduce risk in shorter timeframes. The current symposium will focus on modifiable cognitive and social factors that may reduce vulnerability to SITBs using a variety of methodologies assessing proximal relationships and therefore, are better able to inform clinical interventions.

The first talk will present data from a 28-day EMA study that examined the concurrent use of positive coping behaviors and NSSI among a high-risk sample of young adults with problematic substance use. Socializing with others emerged as a significant predictor of reduced NSSI whereas other common coping strategies (i.e., sitting with feelings) associated with increased NSSI engagement. Drawing from a diverse sample of college students, the second talk provides evidence that trait-based beliefs about oneself, such as grit and resilience, are associated with reduced NSSI engagement and suicidal thinking. The third presentation will include data from a 30-day daily diary study of first-year students with a history of suicidal ideation examining factors protecting against a recurrence of suicidal thinking. Results suggest that subjective well-being and appearance satisfaction, which were influenced by academic satisfaction and school connection, reduced the odds of recurring suicidal thinking. The fourth presentation examines moderators of the risk pathways contributing to NSSI and from NSSI to suicide attempts in a large sample of university students with a lifetime history of NSSI. Analyses show that self-compassion buffers the association of distress on NSSI frequency, and that resilience moderated the relationship between NSSI and suicide attempts. The final presentation provides data from a one-week EMA study examining how interactions with recovery-focused online content relates to concurrent feelings of suicidality and self-harm urges. Collectively, this symposium provides insight into adaptive processes that may mitigate risk for SITBs. The factors identified represent common CBT targets that can facilitate individuals’ recovery and ability to thrive despite the presence of risk factors.