Complex Trauma and Nonsuicidal Self Injury A Study among Young Adults in Mumbai

Abstract

This research has explored the trauma experiences of young people during their growing up years and its relationship with engaging in self-injury of nonsuicidal intent (NSSI). Self-injury causes potential harm to the individual, not alone physically but psychologically, with the This research has explored the trauma experiences of young people during their growing up years and its relationship with engaging in self-injury of nonsuicidal intent (NSSI). Self-injury causes potential harm to the individual, not alone physically but psychologically, with the accompanying feelings of guilt, shame, disgust, self-loathing, and many other complex emotions. Further, this can complicate their intra- and inter-personal relationships with far- reaching and long-lasting mental health consequences in the developmental course of life. The extant and extensive literature review in Eastern and Western contexts reveals a strong relationship between self-injury and the childhood origin of trauma experiences. However, research on NSSI in the Indian context is scant, especially in community settings. This study has attempted to understand our context's issues specific to complex trauma and self-injury. It is an open community study conducted in Mumbai among college-attending young adults. The integrated theoretical model of self-injury (Nock, 2009; 2010), the developmental model explaining the relation between childhood trauma and self-injurious behaviour (Yates, 2004), and the functional models of self-injury reviewed by Suyemoto (1998) were referred to as primary models in developing the framework of the study to connect the early life trauma experiences and the subsequent manifestation of NSSI. The research design of the study is exploratory and descriptive. With a focus on mixed methods, the quantitative and qualitative approaches were used to explore and understand the early life trauma experiences and the resultant manifestation of NSSI. The quantitative data is subjected to descriptive, parametric and non-parametric statistics, whereas the qualitative study explored through in-depth interviews was analysed through thematic analysis. The findings reveal that 17.8 percent of respondents reported engaging in NSSI. In addition, the onset of NSSI was found mostly during adolescence, and no significant gender difference was observed.