Suicide Life Threat Behav. 2023 Dec 19. doi: 10.1111/sltb.13034. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: When people feel hopeless, they are more likely to think about suicide. Prior work has shown that both hopelessness and suicidal ideation fluctuate over time; however, there are likely other contextual factors underlying increased hopelessness and suicidal ideation in moments of time.

METHOD: In two studies using retrospective recall of a real event (Study 1, n = 268) and an experimental imaginal vignette design (Study 2, n = 356), we examined self-criticism and self-efficacy for self-regulation as crucial factors underlying hopelessness in people vulnerable to suicidal ideation.

RESULTS: In both studies, greater state self-criticism and lower state self-efficacy were associated with greater hopelessness. In Study 2, we also measured suicidal ideation, and found that higher self-criticism and lower self-efficacy for self-regulation scores were associated with greater suicidal ideation, even when controlling for negative affect. Evidence of an interaction between self-criticism and self-efficacy was found with scores in Study 2 but not in Study 1; specifically, lower self-efficacy was associated with greater ideation when self-criticism was high but not when self-criticism was low.

CONCLUSION: Overall, results support self-criticism and self-efficacy as important contextual factors underlying hopelessness and suicidal ideation and attending to the potential interactive effect between self-criticism and self-efficacy.

PMID:38112324 | DOI:10.1111/sltb.13034