The Relationship Between Intentional Self-Injurious Behavior and the Loudness Dependence of Auditory Evoked Potential In Research Volunteers

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-1-2015

School

Psychology

Abstract

Objective: Serotonergic (5-HT) functioning has been shown to be inversely associated with intentional self-injurious behaviors. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between three related self-report measures of intentional self-injurious behaviors (suicidal thoughts/behavior, history of nonsuicidal self-injury, history of severe self-harm when angry) and a putative electrophysiological index of 5-HT activity, the loudness dependence of auditory evoked potential (LDAEP).

Method: Auditory evoked potentials were recorded from 41 men (mean age = 20.69, standard deviation [SD] = 2.98) during the administration of various tone loudness stimuli, followed by completion of the self-report measures.

Results: The component slope was associated with all measures of self-injurious behavior in the expected direction.

Conclusion: The LDAEP has the potential to be used as a noninvasive index of intentional self-harm disposition. Additional studies are needed using other populations, including women and treatment-seeking individuals, to determine if the LDAEP more broadly discriminates risk of self-injuring.

Publication Title

Journal of Clinical Psychology

Volume

71

Issue

3

First Page

250

Last Page

257

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