Nonsuicidal self‐injury (NSSI) is theorized to be caused by negative associations with the self, including low self‐esteem, but the mechanisms explaining why low self‐esteem is related to more severe NSSI are unclear. The current study aimed to address this limitation by evaluating a mediation model, proposing that low self‐esteem would relate to more severe NSSI through increasing self‐punishment motivations. Data came from 468 undergraduate students with a history of NSSI who completed an online survey measuring NSSI characteristics and functions, self‐esteem, and self‐punishment motivations for NSSI. Mediation was tested using a structural equation model using bootstrapped 95% percentile‐corrected confidence intervals in which NSSI severity was modeled as a latent variable composed of NSSI frequency, recency, and versatility of methods. The total model was significant and the indirect effect of self‐esteem on NSSI severity through self‐punishment motives was significant. Self‐esteem also retained significant direct effects on NSSI severity, indicating partial mediation. These results provide support for the benefits and barriers model of NSSI, suggesting that negative self‐views increase risk for more severe NSSI through self‐punishment motivations. Clinical interventions that emphasize self‐compassion and focus on modifying self‐punishment motivations may help reduce NSSI behavior.

中文翻译：

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消极的自我认知和 NSSI 的严重性：测试收益和障碍模型

从理论上讲，非自杀性自伤 (NSSI) 是由与自我的负面关联引起的，包括低自尊，但解释为什么低自尊与更严重的 NSSI 相关的机制尚不清楚。当前的研究旨在通过评估中介模型来解决这一局限性，提出低自尊会通过增加自我惩罚动机与更严重的 NSSI 相关。数据来自 468 名有 NSSI 病史的本科生，他们完成了一项在线调查，测量 NSSI 的特征和功能、自尊和 NSSI 的自我惩罚动机。使用结构方程模型对中介进行测试，该模型使用引导的 95% 百分位数校正置信区间，其中 NSSI 严重程度被建模为由 NSSI 频率、新近度和方法多功能性组成的潜在变量。总体模型显着，自尊通过自我惩罚动机对 NSSI 严重程度的间接影响显着。自尊对 NSSI 严重程度也保留了显着的直接影响，表明存在部分中介作用。这些结果为 NSSI 的好处和障碍模型提供了支持，表明消极的自我观通过自我惩罚动机增加了更严重的 NSSI 的风险。强调自我慈悲并注重改变自我惩罚动机的临床干预可能有助于减少 NSSI 行为。