Perceived problem-solving deficits and suicidal ideation: Evidence for the explanatory roles of thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness in five samples.

Abstract

Perceived social problem-solving deficits are associated with suicide risk; however, little research has examined the mechanisms underlying this relationship. The interpersonal theory of suicide proposes 2 mechanisms in the pathogenesis of suicidal desire: intractable feelings of thwarted belongingness (TB) and perceived burdensomeness (PB). This study tested whether TB and PB serve as explanatory links in the relationship between perceived social problem-solving (SPS) deficits and suicidal thoughts and behaviors cross-sectionally and longitudinally. The specificity of TB and PB was evaluated by testing depression as a rival mediator. Self-report measures of perceived SPS deficits, TB, PB, suicidal ideation, and depression were administered in 5 adult samples: 336 and 105 undergraduates from 2 universities, 53 homeless individuals, 222 primary care patients, and 329 military members. Bias-corrected bootstrap mediation and meta-analyses were conducted to examine the magnitude of the direct and indirect effects, and the proposed mediation paths were tested using zero-inflated negative binomial regressions. Cross-sectionally, TB and PB were significant parallel mediators of the relationship between perceived SPS deficits and ideation, beyond depression. Longitudinally and beyond depression, in 1 study, both TB and PB emerged as significant explanatory factors, and in the other, only PB was a significant mediator. Findings supported the specificity of TB and PB: Depression and SPS deficits were not significant mediators. The relationship between perceived SPS deficits and ideation was explained by interpersonal theory variables, particularly PB. Findings support a novel application of the interpersonal theory, and bolster a growing compendium of literature implicating perceived SPS deficits in suicide risk. (PsycINFO Database Record

Internal Battles: Examining How Anger/Hostility Moderate the Association Between Negative Urgency and Suicidal Desire Variables in Military and Civilian Samples

“…It could be that perceived burdensomeness is more affiliated with suicidal ideation and that constructs like feeling disconnected and hopelessness have a stronger correlation to suicidal desire (Klonsky & May, ). These are preliminary results that add to emerging research indicating that suicidal desire and suicidal ideation are separate constructs impacting suicide risk (Chu et al, ; Klonsky & Dhingra, ).…”

“…Considering recent work indicating that suicidal ideation and suicidal desire variables are distinct (Klonsky & Dhingra, ) and that thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness can provide unique pathways to suicidal ideation (Chu et al, ), we further analyzed our proposed model with suicidal ideation as the outcome variable. Suicidal ideation was positively skewed and leptokurtic (suicidal ideation ranged from 0 to 17).…”

“…These results indicate that individuals may experience suicidal ideation without both components of suicidal desire. These differences provide indirect support for the argument that suicidal desire and suicidal ideation are two distinct constructs and each variable should be tested individually as they may provide unique pathways for an individual to die by suicide (Chu et al, ; Klonsky & Dhingra, ).…”

“…Suicidal desire as conceptualized by the ITS is highly correlated with suicidal ideation; however, it is composed specifically of thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness, as well as hopelessness that these states will change (Van Orden et al, ). Although the ITS indicates that both thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness are necessary for suicidal desire, recent literature has noted that individually, thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness are distinct pathways to suicidal ideation (Chu et al, ). Recent research has highlighted the differences between suicidal ideation and suicidal desire (Klonsky & Dhingra, ).…”

Self-esteem, Social support and coping Strategies of left-behind Children in Rural China, and the intermediary role of subjective support

“…Previous researchers have found that con dence in solving problems is a protective factor for depression [41]. Lack of con dence and defects in problem solving are related to the risk of suicide [42,43]. The ability to solve problems rationally can reduce the negative effects of physical abuse on women's suicidal ideation [44].…”