Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

In recent years, research with a concentration on self-harm has begun to surface. Most of this research focuses on methods and functions of self-harm, mental health disorders associated with self-harm, and attitudes towards self-harm from the perspective of others. However, self-harm research that focuses on examining attitudes towards people who self-harm is lacking. More specifically, research is limited on those who self-harm and their attitudes toward someone else who self-harms. The current study sought to fill this gap by examining how the level of familiarity with self-harm affects a person’s attitudes towards self-harm and if there are differences between the attitudes of people who have self-injured and people who have not. Participants consisted of 110 people who have self-injured and 45 people who have not self-injured (Mage = 28.39, SD= 11.94; 83% Caucasian). Results revealed that the more familiarity an individual has with self-harm, the less likely they are to endorse certain negative attitudes towards another person who engages in the behavior. Results also revealed a difference in attitudes between those who self-harm and those who do not, such that those who self-harm report more positive and less negative attitudes towards someone who self-injures. These results suggest that familiarity with self-harm may impact attitudes towards a person who self-injurers and a difference in attitudes between people who have self-injured and people who have not exists. Implications and future directions are included for discussion.

Year manuscript completed

2020

Year degree awarded

2020

Thesis Advisor

Laura Liljequist

Committee Chair

Laura Liljequist

Committee Member

Michael Bordieri

Committee Member

Amanda Joyce

Committee Member

Samir Patel

Document Type

Thesis

Download

Share

COinS