Date of Award

Summer 8-24-2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Organizational Unit

College of Arts Humanities and Social Sciences, Psychology

First Advisor

Anne P. DePrince

Second Advisor

Frédérique Chevillot

Third Advisor

Kathryn R. Fox

Fourth Advisor

E. Paige Lloyd

Fifth Advisor

Michelle Rozenman

Copyright Statement / License for Reuse

All Rights Reserved
All Rights Reserved.

Keywords

Interpersonal trauma, Lab-induced pain, Non-suicidal self-injury, Self-blame, Shame, Trauma appraisals

Abstract

Extant research has made clear the link between self-criticism and engagement in non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). As posited by the Defective Self Model of NSSI, individuals who experience feelings of self-hatred may perceive pain as deserved and engage in NSSI (Burke et al., 2021). Individuals exposed to interpersonal trauma are at higher risk of engaging in NSSI, and also frequently experience trauma-related self criticism, namely shame and self-blame. More work is needed; however, to understand how self-critical post-traumatic cognitions contribute to risk for NSSI engagement for interpersonal trauma survivors. The current study uses a combination of lab-induced pain and self-report measures to examine the effects of trauma-specific self-blame and shame on mood during pain and pain endurance among survivors of interpersonal trauma. We found that shame was associated with buffering from negative mood in response to pain. This relationship was moderated by participant-reported motivation to self-punish. We also found that self-blame was associated with longer pain endurance, moderated by feelings of deserving pain and punishment. Results indicate that trauma-specific shame and self-blame may reduce the pain barrier to NSSI as well as the self-preservation barrier to NSSI.

Copyright Date

6-2023

Publication Statement

Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.

Rights Holder

Adi Rosenthal

Provenance

Received from Author

File Format

application/pdf

Language

English (eng)

Extent

72 pgs

File Size

689 KB

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