Which statement best describes the etiological theory of cutting?

Which statement best describes the etiological theory of cutting?

• A. A numbing dissociative state associated with psychological trauma.
• B. Depression from being teased or bullied.
• C. Repressed anger.
• D. Guilt from not doing well in school.

Answer: (A)

The idea behind the etiological theory of cutting is that self-harm often arises as a response to overwhelming emotional distress tied to trauma, especially a numbing or dissociative state. When someone has endured psychological trauma, they may feel emotionally numb or detached. Cutting can provide a tangible, sensory experience that interrupts that numbness, brings a sense of presence, and helps regain a sense of control over intense feelings. This trauma-focused, dissociation-related explanation fits cutting as a coping mechanism designed to manage unbearable affect. Other explanations describe different proximal factors—being teased or bullied, repressed anger, or guilt about school performance—but they don’t center on the trauma history and the dissociative numbness that etiological theories emphasize. Those factors can contribute to distress, but the best match for the etiological account of cutting is the experience of a numbing dissociative state linked to trauma.

The idea behind the etiological theory of cutting is that self-harm often arises as a response to overwhelming emotional distress tied to trauma, especially a numbing or dissociative state. When someone has endured psychological trauma, they may feel emotionally numb or detached. Cutting can provide a tangible, sensory experience that interrupts that numbness, brings a sense of presence, and helps regain a sense of control over intense feelings. This trauma-focused, dissociation-related explanation fits cutting as a coping mechanism designed to manage unbearable affect.

Other explanations describe different proximal factors—being teased or bullied, repressed anger, or guilt about school performance—but they don’t center on the trauma history and the dissociative numbness that etiological theories emphasize. Those factors can contribute to distress, but the best match for the etiological account of cutting is the experience of a numbing dissociative state linked to trauma.