The role of emotional clarity and distress tolerance in deliberate self-harm in a sample of trauma-exposed inpatient adolescents at risk for suicide

Findings suggest that DSH among trauma-exposed youth with high rates of past suicide attempts is most likely when low emotion clarity is coupled with a high tolerance for emotional distress. Given that DSH significantly increases risk for suicide among youth with psychiatric needs, assessment of emotional clarity and distress tolerance deficits is apt to be warranted to facilitate identification of these youth for targeted intervention.