NONSUICIDAL self-injurious behavior (SIB) occurs in both culturally appropr
iate and culturally inappropriate forms. It is one of the diagnostic criter
ia for borderline personality disorder, but it occurs in several psychiatri
c and neurological populations. The personal intent of SIB in psychiatric p
opulations is incompletely understood. A self-report scale (Self-Injury Mot
ivation Scale; SIMS) to assess motivation for self-injury was developed. Re
lationships among motivation for SIB, characteristics of SIB, and psychopat
hology were explored. A semistructured interview and the SIMS, Dissociative
Experiences Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, Davidson Trauma Scale, and M
illon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-II were given to 99 consecutively admit
ted inpatients. The SIMS had good reliability and validity. A high SIMS sco
re suggested distinct psychopathology. Several factors on the SIMS differen
tiated motivations for SIB. Patients with different SIMS factor profiles ha
d different psychopathology.