Citation

Maria Panagioti, Gooding PA, Taylor PJ, Tarrier N. Depress. Anxiety 2012; 29(3): 187-194.

Affiliation

School of Psychological Sciences, University of Manchester, United Kingdom.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/da.21917

PMID

22431135

Abstract

BACKGROUND: A considerable body of literature has shown a strong association between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and suicidal behavior but only a limited number of studies have investigated the putative psychological mechanisms underlying suicidal behavior in PTSD. Based on a recent theoretical model of suicide, the Schematic Appraisals Model, the current study aimed to examine whether perceptions of defeat and entrapment mediated the effects of three types of negative self-appraisals (emotion coping, problem solving, and social support) on suicidal behavior among individuals experiencing PTSD symptoms in the past month. METHODS: The sample comprised 56 individuals who had been previously exposed to a traumatic event and reported at least one PTSD symptom in the past month (confirmed through the Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale). The mediational analyses were conducted using a nonparametric, bootstrapping method. RESULTS: The results showed that defeat and entrapment fully mediated the effect of all three types of self-appraisals on suicidal behavior. When controlling for PTSD symptom severity, defeat and entrapment continued to mediate fully the effect of two types of self-appraisals, namely the perceived ability to control negative emotions (emotion coping) and the perceived ability to cope with difficult situations/problems (problem solving) on suicidal behavior. CONCLUSIONS: The current findings provide support for the Schematic Appraisals Model of Suicide and suggest that both specific types of negative self-appraisals and general perceptions of defeat and entrapment are strongly related to suicidal behavior in those with PTSD. The findings have important clinical implications.

Language: en