Overview and Epidemiology of NSSI in Clinical Samples

Abstract This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the prevalence and characteristics of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) within clinical samples. To provide some depth to understanding the clinical epidemiology of NSSI, it presents the risk and protective factors that appear most salient to clinically significant manifestations of NSSI. The prevalent occurrence of NSSI across a wide variety of diagnostic categories supports the conclusion that NSSI is a transdiagnostic behavior. Thus, treatments targeting transdiagnostic features will likely be most effective in reducing both NSSI as well as any co-occurring psychopathology. The chapter then discusses NSSI typologies or subgroups with implications for treatment. Interventions may need to consider the general profile of NSSI that best represents each person's presentation, adapting treatment approaches to the self-injury in alignment with the profile patterns. Ultimately, the chapter calls for future research that can meaningfully advance the understanding of NSSI within clinical populations.