Perceptions of Past Parenting and Adult Attachment as Vulnerability Factors for Suicidal Ideation in the Context of the Integrated Motivational–Volitional Model of Suicidal Behavior

Abstract

Objective We aimed to investigate whether perceptions of past parenting and current attachment orientations are associated with key components of the Integrated Motivational–Volitional (IMV) Model of Suicidal Behavior. We investigated the relationship between perceptions of past parenting, attachment, suicide ideation, defeat, entrapment, coping, and resilience. Method A total of 730 adult participants responded to an online questionnaire comprised of psychological measures. An initial regression analysis indicated that memories of past parenting and attachment were associated with suicide ideation. Four mediation models were tested based on the IMV model, all controlling for depressive symptoms. Results In the first model, attachment orientations mediated the relationships between perceptions of past parenting dimensions and defeat. In the second, defeat mediated the relationships between attachment orientations and entrapment. In the third, entrapment mediated the relationship between defeat and suicidal ideation, but coping did not moderate the defeat–entrapment relationship. In the final model, entrapment mediated the relationship between defeat and suicide ideation, with resilience moderating this relationship. Conclusions The findings are novel and congruent with the core principles of the IMV model. Clinical implications suggest the protective effect of resilience and strengthening of self‐compassion attitudes to reduce the effect of insecure attachment strategies.

Association of Parent–child Experiences with Insecure Attachment in Adulthood: A Systematic Review and Meta‐analysis

“…They are likely to have concerns about losing or being abandoned by others (Hazan & Shaver, 1987). In addition to experiencing difficulties in their close relationships, those with an insecure pattern of attachment have been shown to exhibit other negative outcomes in adulthood, such as social anxiety, depression, addiction, suicidal ideation, eating disorders, and other physical and psychological maladies (Liu & Ma, 2019; Manning et al, 2017; Monteleone et al, 2018; Picardi et al, 2019; Zortea, Gray, & O'Connor, 2020).…”

Lifetime and current self-harm thoughts and behaviours and their relationship to parent and peer attachment

“…Consistent with previous literature (Gandhi et al, 2016;Santens et al, 2018) and attachment theory (Bowlby, 1969(Bowlby, , 1973, we found that adolescents with higher levels of paternal and maternal attachment insecurity were more likely to report lifetime and current self-harm thoughts, and lifetime self-harm behaviours. Given the association between attachment insecurity and both lifetime self-harm thoughts and behaviours, and current self-harm thoughts, our findings also offer partial support for attachment insecurity as a pre-motivational variable within the IMV model , where parent-child attachment relationships may increase vulnerability for self-harm thoughts and behaviours (Zortea et al, 2019). Conversely, self-harm may influence attachment relationships (Ferrey et al, 2015), and this should be investigated in future studies.…”

“…However, contemporary 'ideation-toaction' theoretical models of suicidal behaviour distinguish between the psychosocial processes associated with self-harm thoughts, and those associated with self-harm behaviours (Klonsky & May, 2015;O'Connor, 2011;O'Connor & Kirtley, 2018). To this end, the current study builds upon recent research (Zortea et al, 2019) highlighting the utility of the Integrated Motivational-Volitional model for understanding how attachment is related to self-harm thoughts and behaviours. Within the IMV, attachment is posited as a pre-motivational factor, associated with both thoughts and behaviours (Zortea et al, 2019).…”

“…To this end, the current study builds upon recent research (Zortea et al, 2019) highlighting the utility of the Integrated Motivational-Volitional model for understanding how attachment is related to self-harm thoughts and behaviours. Within the IMV, attachment is posited as a pre-motivational factor, associated with both thoughts and behaviours (Zortea et al, 2019). To date, however, the relationship between attachment and self-harm in the context of the IMV model has been investigated only in adult samples.…”

Entrapment Predicts First-Onset Suicidal Ideation: A Longitudinal Study in Medical Students

“…For example, in a cross-section study in Chinese adolescents, entrapment was proved to be signi cantly related with suicidal ideation and factors like thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness could reinforce the relationship [21]. Furthermore, it has been repetitiously proved that entrapment mediated the relationship between defeat and suicidal ideation, with resilience as a possible alleviating factor [22,23]. Nevertheless, though many previous studies have dug into the entrapment-suicidal ideation relationship, few of them focus on medical students, the group of population at higher risk of suicide [24].…”