The Mediating Role of Mental Rumination in the Relationship between Alexithymia, Impulsivity, Distress Tolerance, and Self-criticism with Self-injury

The present study aimed to investigate the mediating role of mental rumination in the relationship between alexithymia, impulsivity, distress tolerance, and self-criticism with self-injury. The current research was part of applied research regard to procedure, In terms of method, it was a type of correlational study. The research population consisted of all the male and female students in the first year of secondary school in Ardabil city in the academic year of 2021-2022, out of which 626 people were selected as a sample by multi-stage cluster sampling method. Research questionnaires included: Klonsky and Glenn's self-injury report questionnaire, Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20, Nolen-Hoeksema and Morrow Rumination Response Scale, Simons & Gaher's Distress Tolerance Questionnaire, Barrett's Impulsivity Scale and the Thompson and Zuraf's scale of self-criticism levels. Path analysis was used to analyze the data. Findings showed that alexithymia, impulsivity, distress tolerance, and self-criticism directly and indirectly by mediating the role of mental rumination predict self-injury. It can be concluded that teaching emotional control skills and treatment of mental rumination can be useful in reducing self-injury in teenagers.