Comparing the affective and emotional temperaments in students with and without self-harm behaviors

The purpose of this research was to compare the dimensions of affective and emotional temperament in students with and without self-harm behaviors.

This was causal-comparative research. The sample included 62 students with self-harm behaviors in the recent six months, 60 students without self-harm behaviors and 49 students with self-harm behaviors in the recent year. Participants were selected using multistage cluster random sampling method among female students of second grade of junior high school in Rasht city. Data were collected using Sansone self-harm questionnaire and Lara affective and emotional temperament scale.

The results of Multivariate analysis of variance showed that there are significant difference in three groups of students in affective temperaments (depression, anxiety, apathetic, cyclothymic, dysphoric, volatile, irritable, disinhibited and euphoric) and emotional temperament (volition, anger, inhibition, coping and control) (p < 0.05). Moreover, the results showed that there are not significant difference in affective temperaments of obsessive, euthymic and hyperthymic and emotional temperament of sensitivity in two groups of students (P>0.05).

The affective and emotional temperaments are important components in the pathology of self-harm behavior. These components can be used to better understand the personality, affective and emotional characteristics involved in self-harming behavior as well as its treatment.