Interrupting Self-Harm Study

University of Utah

Overview

My study will employ a convergent mixed methods two-arm parallel randomized controlled design. The qualitative strand will primarily rely on semi-structured interview procedures to answer the following questions: (1) How do adolescents perceive and experience the phenomenon of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI)? (2) What do adolescents believe needs to be done to address NSSI? The quantitative strand will primarily rely on clinical interview data, self-report measures, and an experimental task protocol to answer the following question: What is the impact of a brief mindfulness induction (versus a control condition) on self-injury attentional bias among self-injuring adolescents?

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Conditions

Nonsuicidal Self-injury

Interventions

MindfulnessBEHAVIORAL

Participants will be instructed to focus on the sensations of breathing. Subsequently, whenever their minds wander to distressing thoughts or emotions, they will be instructed to acknowledge those thoughts or emotions, and then bring their attention back to the sensations of breathing.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 12 YearsMax age: 18 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * To be included in the study, a participant must be: 1) at least 12 years old and no more than 18 years old, 2) able to understand and communicate in English, 3) willing and able to participate in all study procedures, and 4) currently engaging in nonsuicidal self-injury OR have a history of nonsuicidal self-injury. Exclusion Criteria: * Individuals will be excluded from the study if they are experiencing a suicidal crisis at the time of the study procedures (e.g., they endorse suicidal ideation, planning, and intent as determined by the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview 7.0) and require crisis intervention or hospitalization.

Locations (1)

University of Utah

Salt Lake City, Utah, United States

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Change in self-injury attentional bias as measured by a Dot Probe Paradigm

Attentional bias (AB) refers to the allocation of attentional resources to specific aspects of environmental stimuli

Time frame: The Dot Probe Paradigm will be administered immediately preceding the mindfulness or control conditions and immediately following the mindfulness or control conditions

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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