Citation

Levinger S, Somer E, Holden RR. J. Trauma Dissociation 2015; 16(3): 322-339.

Affiliation

a Graduate School of Creative Arts Therapies , University of Haifa , Haifa , Israel .

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/15299732.2014.989644

PMID

25760400

Abstract

This study examines the importance of two suicide risk factors, mental pain and physical dissociation, among young people. Participants were 42 suicidal inpatients, 36 non-suicidal inpatients, and 45 non-clinical participants. Overall, suicide attempters reported a stronger intensity and lower tolerance of mental pain, and higher physical dissociation compared to the other two groups. Suicide attempters with low tolerance of mental pain showed a higher level of dissociation from pain and insensitivity to bodily cues compared to non-suicidal inpatients with similar levels of tolerance for mental pain. Physical dissociation contributed significantly to the likelihood of suicidality, beyond the contribution of mental pain. Our results accentuate the importance of the combination of mental pain and physical dissociation in suicidality. Further research on the applicability of our findings to self-injurious behavior is warranted.

Language: en