TY - JOUR T1 - Nonsuicidal Self-Injury: A Review of Current Research for Family Medicine and Primary Care Physicians JF - The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine JO - J Am Board Fam Med SP - 240 LP - 259 DO - 10.3122/jabfm.2010.02.090110 VL - 23 IS - 2 AU - Patrick L. Kerr AU - Jennifer J. Muehlenkamp AU - James M. Turner Y1 - 2010/03/01 UR - http://www.jabfm.org/content/23/2/240.abstract N2 - Self-injury is a dangerous behavior that is different from suicidal behavior but is associated with increased risk of suicide attempts. Some effective psychological treatments for self-injury exist. Physicians in family medicine and primary care settings play a vital role as a first step in the treatment process for those who self-injure. Physicians can enhance the care provided to those who self-injure via the accurate assessment of risk, the understanding of the functions of the behavior, assisting the patient in identifying motivations for treatment and treatment options, and provision of long-term behavioral and risk monitoring. This article summarizes the current scientific knowledge regarding the clinical features, epidemiology, assessment methods, and existing treatments of self-injury. The role of the primary care physician in the treatment of patients who self-injure is specifically outlined. ER -