Citation

Hagan CR, Podlogar MC, Chu C, Joiner TE. Int. J. Cogn. Ther. 2015; 8(2): 99-113.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1521/ijct.2015.8.2.99

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Recent theories posit diverse mechanisms of suicide risk, yet many models converge on one variable-hopelessness. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of hopelessness in the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (ITS), specifically, whether hopelessness moderated the interaction of thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness when predicting current suicidal ideation, plans, and urges. Moderation was tested in two independent samples, one nonclinical (n = 189) and one clinical (n = 760), through hierarchical multiple linear regression analyses. After controlling for demographic covariates, depressive and anxious symptoms, main effects of thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, hopelessness, and all two-way interactions, the three-way interaction between thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, and hopelessness was a positive and significant predictor of suicidal risk in both samples. Probing revealed that the interaction between thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness significantly predicted current suicidal risk only at high levels of hopelessness, consistent with predictions of the ITS. © 2015 International Association for Cognitive Psychotherapy.

Language: en

Keywords

Suicide; Hopelessness; Perceived burdensomeness; Thwarted belongingness; Hope; Burden; Burdensomeness; Belonging; Interpersonal theory of suicide; Moderation