Signs that an individual might be on the verge of self-harm are often found in their online actions, but can word choices in posts indicate who is at particular risk and when?

A new study published July 8 in the Nature journal npj Mental Health Research by Dr. Ryan L. Boyd at The University of Texas at Dallas and Dr. Charlotte Entwistle of the University of Liverpool demonstrates that online support community posts indicating decreased social connectedness and heightened negative emotions can predict self-harm behaviors weeks before their occurrence in people with borderline personality disorder.