Citation

Suh S, Ebesutani CK, Hagan CR, Rogers ML, Hom MA, Ringer FB, Bernert RA, Kim S, Joiner TE. Psychiatry Res. 2017; 251: 244-252.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA. Electronic address: tjoiner@fsu.edu.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.psychres.2017.02.005

PMID

28214784

Abstract

This study investigated the cross-cultural relevance and validity of the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (ITS) utilizing young adult samples from South Korea (n =554) and the United States (U.S.; n =390). To examine the ITS, all participants completed self-report questionnaires measuring Thwarted Belongingness, Perceived Burdensomeness, and Capability for Suicide. We examined whether each construct significantly predicted the severity of suicidal risk in both samples. We also determined whether the strength of the effects of Thwarted Belongingness and Perceived Burdensomeness on suicidal ideation differed between the two samples due to the greater degree of importance placed on interpersonal relationships in collectivistic cultures such as South Korea. Structural equation modeling was used to examine these hypotheses. Thwarted Belongingness, Perceived Burdensomeness, and Capability for Suicide significantly predicted elevated suicidal risk. However, there were no significant differences in the paths from Thwarted Belongingness or Perceived Burdensomeness to suicide risk between the South Korean and U.S. SAMPLES: These findings support the cross-cultural relevance and applicability of the ITS, whereby Thwarted Belongingness and Perceived Burdensomeness serve as indicators of suicide risk in both Western (U.S.) and East Asian (Korean) samples.

Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Capability for suicide; Perceived burdensomeness; South Korea; Structural equation modeling; Suicidal ideation; Suicide risk; Thwarted belongingness