Who Am I? Non-Suicidal Self Injury and the Differing Perceptions of the Self

The issue of Non-Suicidal Self-Injury is one that is alarming and not easily understood. The awareness of NSSI in teens and young adults has given rise to a number of issues that should be addressed by the church. This project looks at the difference in the understanding of “self” between those who engage in Non-Suicidal Self-Injury behaviors and those who do not. This study interviewed nine youth spanning in age from 13-21 and includes both males and females engaged in NSSI behaviors and males and females not engaged in NSSI behaviors. The central theological topic concerns the image of God. This study aims at identifying the image of God and how it may be under-stood differently in those who struggle with NSSI behaviors.