TY - JOUR PY - 2019// TI - RETRACTED: The three-step theory of suicide: an independent replication and conceptual extension JO - Suicide and life-threatening behavior A1 - Hagan, Christopher R. A1 - Muehlenkamp, Jennifer J. SP - ePub EP - ePub VL - ePub IS - ePub N2 - Retraction notice: Christopher R. Hagan PhD, Jennifer J. Muehlenkamp PhD, “The Three‐Step Theory of Suicide: An Independent Replication and Conceptual Extension,” Suicide and Life‐Threatening Behavior, Wiley, © American Association of Suicidology This article, published online on 30 September 2019 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com), has been retracted by agreement between the authors, the journal Editor in Chief, Thomas Joiner, PhD, and John Wiley and Sons Ltd. The retraction has been agreed due to errors in variable calculation and a post‐publication reviewer's concerns that some analyses did not accurately test the theoretical model. An updated version of this article will soon undergo review for publication at Suicide and Life‐Threatening Behavior, and if accepted for publication, will be accompanied by an editorial from the Editor‐in‐Chief. OBJECTIVE: Well-tested and validated theories of suicide can help professionals understand, predict, and prevent suicide. This article presents two studies testing the suicidal ideation components of the Three-Step Theory (3ST) of suicide and comparing it to the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (ITS). We tested the 3ST's prediction that high levels of pain and hopelessness lead to suicidal ideation, which strengthens when pain and hopelessness outweigh connection to life.

METHOD: Study 1 (n = 204, mean age = 35, 56% female, 83% White) provides an independent, direct replication of the original analyses. Study 2 (n = 295, mean age = 25, 75% female, 68% White) presents the first conceptual extension of the 3ST using diverse measures of pain, hopelessness, and connection. In both studies, participants completed self-report questionnaires assessing the relevant variables.

RESULTS: Both studies largely supported the first two steps of the 3ST, although adding connection to the model did not account for greater variability of suicidal ideation. The ITS accounted for comparable or greater amounts of variance in suicidal ideation than the 3ST.

CONCLUSIONS: Both the 3ST and the ITS have utility to explain suicidal ideation. Limitations and future directions are discussed.

© 2019 The American Association of Suicidology.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 0363-0234 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/sltb.12590 ID - ref1 ER -