LAUSR

Abstract The present research examined the relationships between engagement in nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), benign masochism, and antisocial personality traits. Because both benign masochists and individuals who engage in self-injury find pleasure in experiencing pain, we expected a positive relationship between benign masochism and NSSI. We further anticipated NSSI to be positively related to antisocial personality traits due to the shared propensity for aggression and violence. In fact, two studies showed that benign masochism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy, everyday sadism, and trait aggression were positively related to mild forms of injurious self-harm behaviors. Although benign masochism and antisocial personality traits were positively correlated, they independently contributed to an increased risk of engagement in NSSI. Vulnerable narcissism was also positively correlated, whereas a measure of grandiose narcissism revealed less conclusive evidence. Overall, the tendencies to go against oneself in a benign form and to go against others are both predictive of the propensity to engage in mild forms of self-harming behaviors.