Social Desirability and Cognitive Emotion Regulation as a Predictor of Delibrate Self-Harm Behavior: A Comparative Study

The current study examined the effect of social desirability, cognitive emotion regulation on deliberate self-harm behavior among university students. The object of the study is to investigate the relationship between social desirability, cognitive emotion regulation strategies (i.e: Adaptive and Maladaptive) . Moreover, it was hypothesized to assess the effect social desirability and cognitive emotion regulation on university students who deliberately self-harm theirselves. The sample (n= 218)  with age range 16-25 years were collected from different universities of Peshawar KPK through cluster sampling technique. The self-harm inventory was used to screen students with deliberate Self Harm behavior. To assess Adaptive and Maladaptive coping mechanisms Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ) was used, and Marlowe Crowne Social Desirability Scale (MC-SDS) for social desirability. Various statistical techniques such as descriptive statistics, pearson product moment correlation, simple linear regression, multiple linear regression analysis were used. The results of correlation analysis indicated that social desirability has significant positive (r = .69, p  < .01) correlation while significant negative (r = -.59, p < .01) correlation with adaptive strategies. Additionally social desirability has positive correlation (r = .49, p < .01) with deliberate self-harm behavior. Moreover the simple linear regression indicated that social desirability (β = .16, p  < .01) is significant positive predictor of deliberate self-harm behavior. While multiple linear regression revealed that adaptive cognitive emotion regulation (β = -.01 P < .001) is negative predictor of DSH and Maladaptive CER (β = .07, P < .001) is the positive predictor of DSH. Therefore, to reduce the self-harming behavior strength-based therapies and counseling are designed which focus on   the factors such as social desirability and maladaptive coping mechanism. The counseling services provide with different interval to control negative behavior among students.