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Silent Pain: Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI) Among Late Adolescents with Abuse and Neglect Histories

Developmental and Clinical Psychology · Vol. 6 No. 2 (2025) · pp. 65–74

DOI
10.15294/dcp.v6i2.30980
ISSN
2252-6358
Published
2025-12-31
Publisher
Universitas Negeri Semarang
Language
eng

Abstract

Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI) is a significant mental health concern among late adolescents with histories of child abuse and neglect (CAN). This qualitative study employed Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to explore the lived experiences and psychological meanings of NSSI among three female late adolescents aged 19–21 years in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, who experienced CAN during childhood. In-depth interviews revealed that NSSI functioned not only as a maladaptive emotion regulation strategy but also as a form of moral self punishment and cognitive regulation. Participants engaged in self-injury to manage overwhelming emotional distress, silence intrusive thoughts, and punish themselves for perceived personal failure or ingratitude. Episodes of NSSI were frequently accompanied by dissociative experiences, including emotional numbness and delayed perception of pain. These behaviors were closely linked to internalized abusive caregiving patterns and difficulties expressing anger within interpersonal relationships. The findings highlight the enduring psychological impact of childhood maltreatment and underscore the importance of trauma-informed interventions that address emotion regulation, moral self-evaluation, and dissociative coping processes among late adolescents.

Keywords

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Sonia Rachma HandayaniAffiliation unknown1
muhammad ridhoAffiliation unknown1

Affiliations come from OpenAlex; journal OAI-PMH metadata carries none. Authors without an OpenAlex ID are matched by name, which can merge or split people.

Metadata source: OAI-PMH (metadata jurnal) https://journal.unnes.ac.id/journals/dcp/oai, first harvested 5 Nov 2026, last seen 8 Nov 2026.
Original metadata (oai_dc) 
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	<dc:title xml:lang="en">Silent Pain: Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI) Among Late Adolescents with Abuse and Neglect Histories</dc:title>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Chandra, Muhammad Lucky</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Nurjaman, Tabah Aris</dc:creator>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">Child Abuse and  Neglect,  Interpretative  Phenomenological  Analysis, Late  Adolescents, Non Suicidal Self-Injury</dc:subject>
	<dc:description xml:lang="en">Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI) is a significant mental health concern among late adolescents with histories of child abuse and neglect (CAN). This qualitative study employed Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to explore the lived experiences and psychological meanings of NSSI among three female late adolescents aged 19–21 years in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, who experienced CAN during childhood. In-depth interviews revealed that NSSI functioned not only as a maladaptive emotion regulation strategy but also as a form of moral self punishment and cognitive regulation. Participants engaged in self-injury to manage overwhelming emotional distress, silence intrusive thoughts, and punish themselves for perceived personal failure or ingratitude. Episodes of NSSI were frequently accompanied by dissociative experiences, including emotional numbness and delayed perception of pain. These behaviors were closely linked to internalized abusive caregiving patterns and difficulties expressing anger within interpersonal relationships. The findings highlight the enduring psychological impact of childhood maltreatment and underscore the importance of trauma-informed interventions that address emotion regulation, moral self-evaluation, and dissociative coping processes among late adolescents.</dc:description>
	<dc:publisher xml:lang="en">Universitas Negeri Semarang</dc:publisher>
	<dc:date>2025-12-31</dc:date>
	<dc:type>info:eu-repo/semantics/article</dc:type>
	<dc:type>info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion</dc:type>
	<dc:type xml:lang="en">Peer-reviewed Article</dc:type>
	<dc:format>application/pdf</dc:format>
	<dc:identifier>https://journal.unnes.ac.id/journals/dcp/article/view/30980</dc:identifier>
	<dc:identifier>10.15294/dcp.v6i2.30980</dc:identifier>
	<dc:source xml:lang="en">Developmental and Clinical Psychology; Vol. 6 No. 2 (2025): December 2025; 65-74</dc:source>
	<dc:source>2252-6358</dc:source>
	<dc:source>10.15294/dcp.v6i2</dc:source>
	<dc:language>eng</dc:language>
	<dc:relation>https://journal.unnes.ac.id/journals/dcp/article/view/30980/10304</dc:relation>
	<dc:rights xml:lang="en">Copyright (c) 2026 Developmental and Clinical Psychology</dc:rights>
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