Clarifying the Definition of Nonsuicidal Self-Injury.

Challenges and inconsistencies in defining nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) have persisted for decades, which significantly impact NSSI conceptualization and assessment in clinical and research settings and impede the field's progress. The present study aimed to solicit opinions from individuals with NSSI expertise so as to improve the operational definition and conceptualization of NSSI. We asked researchers, clinicians, and graduate students with varying NSSI expertise to provide opinions on six NSSI definitional components (e.g., whether pain should be a required outcome), as well as to review 118 behaviors and indicate whether each is NSSI. Responses ( = 159) revealed good agreement on specific NSSI definitional aspects and the classification of oft-cited NSSI behaviors. However, findings also demonstrated potential discrepancies in how clinicians and researchers define NSSI when compared with specific behaviors that might be classified as NSSI. The opinions of the study's sample may not reflect the wider NSSI field. Findings suggest that there is an increased need for a clear and consistent definition of NSSI and specific NSSI behaviors. There is also a need to develop new assessment measures that capture the range of NSSI behaviors that received good-to-excellent agreement among self-injury experts.