Objective:

To identify data-driven profiles of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) based on motivational and addiction-like features, highlighting the significance of these profiles in addressing the heterogeneity of NSSI and examining their association with clinically relevant outcomes.

Key Findings:

• Three profiles emerged: Emotion-regulation (n=112), Multi-motivated/high-addiction (n=79), and Lower-severity (n=120).
• Higher-severity clusters showed significantly higher monthly (OR = 3.58 and 2.38) and yearly (OR = 2.91 and 1.96) NSSI frequency compared to Lower-severity.
• Pain perception was lower in the high-addiction cluster (OR = 0.49).
• Higher PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores were observed in the high-addiction cluster, with specific values for clarity.

Interpretation:

Motivational and addiction-like features delineate interpretable NSSI profiles that correlate with frequency, pain perception, and affective symptoms, suggesting the need for tailored interventions and further exploration of clinical implications.

Limitations:

• Exploratory profiles require replication and longitudinal follow-up to validate findings.
• Study conducted in a specific cultural context may limit generalizability, impacting the applicability of results.

Conclusion:

The study highlights the importance of integrating motivational and addiction-like characteristics in understanding NSSI, paving the way for more precise clinical assessments and interventions, while emphasizing the need for future research to validate these findings.