Citation

Elledge D, Zullo L, Kennard B, Diederich A, Emslie G, Stewart S. Arch. Suicide Res. 2019; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, International Academy of Suicide Research, Publisher Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/13811118.2019.1661896

PMID

31538543

Abstract

Hopelessness is a well-established risk factor for suicidal ideation. Recent research has indicated that hopelessness can be split into two subsets: pessimism (PESS) and lack of optimism (LOO) and that LOO is more salient of the two in predicting suicide ideation (SI). The aim of this study was to examine the relationship of PESS and LOO to SI in the context of the Interpersonal Psychological Theory of Suicide (IPTS). Participants were 294 inpatient adolescents. LOO but not PESS was associated with SI. LOO interacted with the IPTS variable of perceived burdensomeness to differentiate between passive and active SI, partly consistent with the theory. These results support the value of separating the two components of hopelessness in understanding adolescent SI.

Language: en

Keywords

adolescents; hopelessness; lack of optimism; pessimism; suicidal ideation