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Self-Injurious Behavior Motives Scale3

Self-Injurious Behavior Motives Scale Test

Understand what drives self-injury and what it accomplishes in about 5 minutes. Pinpoint key coping functions to guide focused, more effective treatment planning.

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Questions: 265 minutes

08:30

October 2, 2025

October 2, 2025
Material has been updated

October 2, 2025
Material has been published

15,123 views

1,529 completions

1,275 likes

Verified by Daniel Hall

Psychologist with 25 years of experience

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

example score

3/5

Interpersonal Control (IC)

Measures the extent to which self-injury is used to influence interpersonal situations or regain a sense of control in relationships.

Low

Moderate

High

1 – 2.3: Low | 2.4 – 3.6: Moderate | 3.7 – 5: High

A score of 3 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting self-injury may sometimes function as a way to affect others or manage interpersonal control, but it is not the predominant motive.

example score

3/5

Self-Change and Novel Experience Seeking (SCaNES)

Measures the extent to which self-harming behavior is used to change oneself or seek new sensations and emotional states.

Low drive for change/novelty

Moderate drive for change/novelty

High drive for change/novelty

1 – 2: Low drive for change/novelty | 3: Moderate drive for change/novelty | 4 – 5: High drive for change/novelty

A score of 3 suggests a moderate tendency to use self-harming behavior as a way to shift internal state or seek new experiences, alongside other possible motives.

example score

3/5

Tension Relief (TR)

Measures the extent to which self-injurious behavior is used to reduce internal stress, anxiety, or emotional tension.

Low

Moderate

High

1 – 2: Low | 3: Moderate | 4 – 5: High

A score of 3 suggests a moderate tendency to use self-injurious behavior as one of the ways to manage or relieve internal tension.

example score

3/5

Influencing Others (IO)

Measures the extent to which self-injurious behavior is used to influence or affect other people.

Low

Moderate

High

1 – 2: Low | 3: Moderate | 4 – 5: High

A score of 3 suggests a moderate tendency for self-injurious behavior to serve, at times, as a way to influence others or gain attention.

example score

3/5

Regaining Control Over Emotions (RCOE)

Measures the extent to which self-injury is used as a strategy to regain control over overwhelming emotions.

Low

Moderate

High

1 – 2: Low | 3: Moderate | 4 – 5: High

A score of 3 suggests a moderate tendency to use self-injury to manage emotions and restore a sense of control.

example score

4/5

Self-Control (SC)

Measures the extent to which self-harm is used to regain self-control through emotional regulation and tension relief.

Low

Moderate

High

1 – 2: Low | 3: Moderate | 4 – 5: High

A score of 4 indicates a high tendency to use self-harm as a strategy to restore self-control by reducing emotional intensity and tension.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

Clients in therapy for self-harm

44%OF USERS

People already experiencing self-injury take it to clarify what needs the behavior is serving, like reducing distress or regaining control.

Psychologists and psychotherapists

36%OF USERS

Clinicians use it to structure assessment and discuss functions of self-injury to guide treatment planning.

Clinical trainees and interns

20%OF USERS

Students and early-career practitioners take it to learn how different motives for self-injury can be identified and documented.

BASED ON AGGREGATED, ANONYMIZED DATA FROM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FREUDLY USERS.

Benchmarking

See How You Compare

Once you complete the test, your results are compared with real-world data from people in your country.
Below is a preview of how scores are typically distributed across each scale.

Interpersonal Control (IC)

Average

3.4

Normal range

2.9 — 4

min.

max.

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Changing Yourself, Seeking New Experiences (CYSNE)

Average

2.8

Normal range

2.1 — 3.5

min.

max.

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Relieving Tension (RT)

Average

3.9

Normal range

3.3 — 4.5

min.

max.

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Influencing Others (IO)

Average

3.8

Normal range

3.2 — 4.3

min.

max.

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Regaining control over your emotions (Rcoye)

Average

2.2

Normal range

1.6 — 2.7

min.

max.

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Self-control (S)

Average

3.4

Normal range

2.6 — 4.1

min.

max.

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

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SAMPLE QUESTIONS

Example Questions From the Test

In some situations, a person may intentionally harm their own body—for example, by cutting, burning, or hitting themselves with full force. Sometimes this occurs less overtly, in the form of so-called bad habits, such as biting one’s nails or lips, or scratching the skin. These and other forms of self-injury occur for different reasons. Please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with the reasons that may explain why you have engaged in self-injury.

- Strongly disagree
- Disagree
- Not sure
- Agree
- Strongly agree
- Strongly disagree
- Disagree
- Not sure
- Agree
- Strongly agree
- Strongly disagree
- Disagree
- Not sure
- Agree
- Strongly agree

These are 3 of the 26 real questions — the rest appear in the test. No sign-up needed to start.

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WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

About This Assessment

Scale of Causes of Self-Injurious Behavior Test

Self-Injurious Behavior Motives Scale Test - Symptoms and Signs

psychopathology

self-harm

This measure is designed to clarify the functions that may maintain self-injurious behavior. The Self-Injurious Behavior Motives Scale assesses commonly reported motives for self-injury to support clinical case formulation (Matthew K. Nock and E. David Klonsky). It includes 26 items and typically requires about 5 minutes to complete.

Respondents indicate the extent to which different reasons apply to their self-injury (e.g., emotion regulation, interpersonal communication, or situational control). Results are intended to inform clinical understanding and treatment planning rather than to establish a diagnosis. In practice, the Self-Injurious Behavior Motives Scale can be used to guide discussion of triggers, reinforcement patterns, and alternative coping strategies within a broader assessment and risk-management process.

Author: E. David Klonsky, Matthew K. Nock

Literature: Nock, M. K. Self-injury. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology. 2010.