TPC Journal-Vol 10- Issue 3-FULL ISSUE

362 The Professional Counselor | Volume 10, Issue 3 When including family members in counseling with adolescents who have engaged in nonsuicidal and ambivalent SIB, findings from our study suggest that three important targets for assessment and intervention include the domains of familial problem-solving, familial conflict, and adolescent-reported communication. Two of these, conflict and communication, were previously identified in the literature, and our study supports those findings. Our study newly identified familial problem-solving as an additional important predictor of SIB in adolescents. Counselors must keep in mind, however, that these variables were not sufficient in predicting suicidal SIB in adolescents. For these teens, we encourage the use of a broader assessment that includes elements of Joiner et al.’s (2009) interpersonal theory of suicide, especially the crucial interpersonal constructs of thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness. Conclusion Based on our findings, it appears there is a relationship between engagement in SIB (especially nonsuicidal and ambivalent SIB) and familial environment for community-based treatment-seeking adolescents with traits of BPD. Additionally, both adolescents and their caregivers in our sample reported distressed levels of multiple indicators of family functioning, suggesting the need for family- based intervention. Counselors and service providers should consider multiple markers of family environment (particularly problem-solving, conflict, and adolescent-reported communication) when assessing risk for and treatment of adolescent SIB. Conflict of Interest and Funding Disclosure This study was partially funded by a grant from Western Washington University awarded to Dr. Christina Byrne. The authors reported no conflict of interest for the development of this manuscript. References Adrian, M., Zeman, J., Erdley, C., Lisa, L., & Sim, L. (2011). Emotional dysregulation and interpersonal difficulties as risk factors for nonsuicidal self-injury in adolescent girls. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology , 39 (3), 389–400. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-010-9465-3 American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596 Anestis, M. D., Khazem, L. R., & Law, K. C. (2015). How many times and how many ways: The impact of number of nonsuicidal self‐injury methods on the relationship between nonsuicidal self‐injury frequency and suicidal behavior. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior , 45 (2), 164–177. https://doi.org/10.1111/sltb.12120 Chanen, A. M., Jovev, M., & Jackson, H. J. (2007). Adaptive functioning and psychiatric symptoms in adolescents with borderline personality disorder. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry , 68 (2), 297–306. http://doi.org/10.4088/JCP.v68n0217 Crowell, S. E., Baucom, B. R., McCauley, E., Potapova, N. V., Fitelson, M., Barth, H., Smith, C. J., & Beauchaine, T. P. (2013). Mechanisms of contextual risk for adolescent self-injury: Invalidation and conflict escalation in mother–child interactions. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology , 42 (4), 467–480. https://doi.org/10.1080/15374416.2013.785360 Crowell, S. E., Beauchaine, T. P., & Linehan, M. M. (2009). A biosocial developmental model of borderline personality: Elaborating and extending Linehan’s theory. Psychological Bulletin , 135 (3), 495–510. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0015616