Impact of Emotional Reactivity on Dysfunctional Decision-Making in NSSI Adolescents

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF ELECTRONIC SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF CHINA · Aug 4, 2023

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying how emotional responses affect decision-making in adolescents who engage in nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), which means they hurt themselves on purpose without wanting to end their life. Researchers want to understand how these emotional reactions and expectations of rewards can influence their choices, especially when faced with unfair situations. By comparing adolescents with NSSI to those without any such behaviors, the study aims to see if there are specific differences in how they make decisions related to punishment when they feel treated unfairly.

To participate in this study, adolescents aged 15 to 18 who are right-handed and have normal vision may be eligible, provided they have engaged in self-injury at least five times over the past year. However, individuals with certain mental health diagnoses, high risk of suicide, or those currently receiving specific therapies for emotional problems cannot take part. Participants can expect to engage in tasks that involve making decisions while their emotional reactions are being assessed, and they may undergo an MRI scan to help the researchers understand brain activity related to these decisions. This trial is currently recruiting participants, and it provides a valuable opportunity to explore important aspects of emotional and decision-making processes in young people with NSSI.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • 15-18 years
• • right-handed
• • normal or corrected normal visual acuity
• • meet the proposed DSM-5 frequency criteria (e.g., ≥5 days of NSSI behaviors in the past year)
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • diagnosis of borderline personality disorder, major depressive disorder, other
• • psychiatric disorders, etc.
• • high suicidal risk
• • recent use of medications that can affect neural activity
• • have received or are receiving Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) other treatment for emotional problems within the past 6 months
• • have a contraindication to MRI scanning (e.g., metal implants, claustrophobia or other conditions that make them inappropriate for MRI scanning)