Dynamic exploratory graph analysis (dynEGA) of affect and self-harm urge in non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI): Three illustrative case studies

Objectives Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is closely linked to negative emotions and self-harm urges. Understanding these processes may inform psychological interventions. This study presents three illustrative clinical cases to explore person-specific associations between affective states, self-harm urges, and NSSI behaviour. Methods Experience-sampling methodology (ESM) was used to collect longitudinal data from three young adults with varying frequencies of NSSI over 14 days. Participants completed brief questionnaires four times daily, yielding 165 assessments. Dynamic Exploratory Graph Analysis (dynEGA) was applied to construct individual affective networks related to self-harm urges. Results Across cases, NSSI urges were generally associated with negative affect, but substantial differences emerged in affective network structures. No consistent network pattern was observed across participants. Associations between specific affects and urge intensity varied considerably between individuals. In some instances, increases in negative affect appeared to precede stronger self-harm urges, although these patterns were not uniform. Urges were directly associated with subsequent NSSI behaviour in only a limited number of observations. Conclusion These three illustrative clinical cases highlight potential associations between negative affect, self-harm urges, and NSSI behaviour while underscoring the heterogeneity of these processes. The findings support the importance of person-centred approaches in NSSI research and suggest that dynEGA may be a promising exploratory method for examining individual affective network structures and their relationship to self-harm urges and behaviour.