Citation

Hirsch JK, Conner KR. Suicide Life Threat. Behav. 2006; 36(6): 661-669.

Affiliation

Center for the Study and Prevention of Suicide, Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, NY 14642-8409, USA. jameson_hirsch@urmc.rochester.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, American Association of Suicidology, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1521/suli.2006.36.6.661

PMID

17250470

Abstract

To test the hypothesis that higher levels of optimism reduce the association between hopelessness and suicidal ideation, 284 college students completed self-report measures of optimism and Beck scales for hopelessness, suicidal ideation, and depression. A statistically significant interaction between hopelessness and one measure of optimism was obtained, consistent with the hypothesis that optimism moderates the relationship between hopelessness and suicidal ideation. Hopelessness is not inevitably associated with suicidal ideation. Optimism may be an important moderator of the association. The development of treatments to enhance optimism may complement standard treatments to reduce suicidality that target depression and hopelessness.

Language: en