Department of Psychiatry in Linköping and Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, 581 83, Linköping, Sweden.
Department of Social Sciences, Marie Cederschiöld University, Stockholm, Sweden.
Arch Sex Behav. 2023 Jan;52(1):149-160. doi: 10.1007/s10508-022-02437-x. Epub 2022 Oct 19.
Earlier research has found that sexual acts could be used as a means of self-injury, with comparable functions to nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) such as cutting or burning the skin. However, no previous study has investigated the experience of help and support in relation to sex as a means of self-injury (SASI), which this study aims to investigate. The study was based on an anonymous open-ended questionnaire published from December 2016 to April 2017 on the websites of NGOs working with help and support for women and youths in Sweden. In total, 197 participants (mostly women, mean age 27.9 years, range 15-64 years) with self-reported experiences of SASI were included in the study. Three main themes were found concerning experiences of help and support for SASI. The need for: (1) Framing the behavior of SASI, to find a word for SASI-to know it exists, to get questions and information about SASI and its function; (2) Flexible, respectful, and professional help and support from an early age, to be listened to and confirmed in one's experience of SASI; and (3) Help with underlying reasons to exit SASI such as finding one's own value and boundaries through conventional therapy, through life itself, or through therapy for underlying issues such as earlier traumatic events, PTSD, dissociation, or anxiety. In conclusion, similar interventions could be helpful for SASI as for NSSI, irrespective of the topographical differences between the behaviors, but the risk of victimization and traumatization must also be addressed in SASI.
先前的研究发现,性行为可以被用作一种自我伤害的手段,与非自杀性自我伤害(NSSI)如割伤或烧伤皮肤具有类似的功能。然而,以前没有研究调查过与性行为作为自我伤害手段(SASI)相关的帮助和支持体验,本研究旨在对此进行调查。该研究基于 2016 年 12 月至 2017 年 4 月在瑞典为妇女和青年提供帮助和支持的非政府组织网站上发布的匿名开放式问卷调查。共有 197 名(主要是女性,平均年龄 27.9 岁,年龄范围为 15-64 岁)自我报告有 SASI 经历的参与者被纳入研究。研究发现了与 SASI 的帮助和支持体验有关的三个主要主题。需要:(1)对 SASI 行为进行框架设定,找到 SASI 的名称——知道它的存在,获取关于 SASI 及其功能的问题和信息;(2)从早期开始提供灵活、尊重和专业的帮助和支持,倾听并确认 SASI 的体验;(3)帮助解决潜在原因,例如通过传统疗法、通过生活本身或通过治疗潜在问题(如早期创伤事件、创伤后应激障碍、分离或焦虑)来找到自己的价值和界限,从而退出 SASI。总之,类似的干预措施对 SASI 可能与 NSSI 一样有效,而不论行为之间的地域差异如何,但在 SASI 中也必须解决受害和创伤的风险。