Citation

Johnson J, Gooding PA, Wood AM, Tarrier N. Behav. Res. Ther. 2010; 48(3): 179-186.

Affiliation

School of Psychological Sciences, University of Manchester, UK.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.brat.2009.10.007

PMID

19906364

Abstract

AIMS: The Schematic Appraisals Model of Suicide (SAMS) suggests that positive self-appraisals may be important for buffering suicidal thoughts and behaviours, potentially providing a key source of resilience. The current study aimed to explore whether positive self-appraisals buffered individuals from suicidality in the face of stressful life events. METHOD: 78 participants who reported experiencing some degree of suicidality were recruited from a student population. They completed a battery of questionnaires including measures of suicidality, stressful life events and positive self-appraisals. RESULTS: Positive self-appraisals moderated the association between stressful life events and suicidality. For those reporting moderate or high levels of positive self-appraisals, raised incidence of stressful life events did not lead to increases in suicidality. DISCUSSION: These results support the SAMS framework, and suggest that positive self-appraisals may confer resilience to suicide. Positive self-appraisals may be a promising avenue for further resilience research, and an important area to target for suicide interventions.

Language: en