Premium
Clinical assessment of self‐injury: A practical guide
Author(s) -
Walsh Barent
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.124
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1097-4679
pISSN - 0021-9762
DOI - 10.1002/jclp.20413
Subject(s) - intrapersonal communication , psychology , interpersonal communication , session (web analytics) , self assessment , psychotherapist , interpersonal violence , clinical psychology , applied psychology , injury prevention , poison control , social psychology , medical emergency , medicine , world wide web , computer science
In this article, the author provides a practice‐friendly guide to the psychological assessment of self‐injury, such as self‐inflicted cutting, burning, hitting, and excoriation of wounds. The crucial distinction between self‐injury and suicide is emphasized. The author presents a structure for the assessment of self‐injury that focuses first on the therapeutic relationship, and thereafter on the history and specifics of the behavior, its intrapersonal and interpersonal functions, and its antecedents and consequences. Types of self‐injury that are atypical, and especially alarming, are identified. A case example illustrates both the style and content of a thorough assessment. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol: In Session 63: 1057–1068, 2007.