Self injury (SI) typically refers to a variety of behaviors associated with self harm without suicidal intent. While there remains a dearth of research on this subject there is emerging evidence to suggest that SI is increasing amongst clinical and non-clinical
populations. Studies estimate that 4% of the general population has self-injured (White Kress, 2003; Klonsky, Oltmanns & Turkheimer, 2003); the prevalence among college students is even higher, ranging from 12% (Favazza, 1996) to 35% (Gratz, 2001) of students having had at least one episode of SI. As might be expected, the incidence is higher among clinical populations. In spite of this prevalence, there remains a particular lacuna of research on the phenomenon. The aim of this paper is to briefly review the extant research on SI and discuss the merits of incor-porating SI into the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) as a separate diagnosis.