Pet Attachment and the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide

Attachment Avoidance ◽

Pet Attachment ◽

Objective: Pet ownership is often assumed to have mental health benefits, but the effect of pets on suicide risk has a scant literature. Method: Using the interpersonal theory of suicide, we examined the relationships between perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness, overall attachment to one’s pet (quality of the relationship), pet attachment avoidance (distrustful of the relationship) or anxiety (afraid of abandonment), and suicide risk. Three hypotheses were investigated: 1) higher levels of attachment would be associated with lower suicide risk via lower levels of thwarted belongingness/perceived burdensomeness, 2) lower levels of pet attachment would be associated with higher levels of suicide risk via attachment avoidance/attachment anxiety, and 3) attachment avoidance/anxiety would be associated with higher suicide risk via thwarted belongingness/perceived burdensomeness. Undergraduates (N = 187) completed surveys and indirect effect analyses were utilized. Results: Higher overall attachment was associated with decreased attachment anxiety, which was associated with lower suicide risk. Attachment anxiety was correlated with increased suicide risk. Overall attachment, attachment avoidance and attachment anxiety were not found to indirectly affect suicide risk. Conclusions: Findings suggest that pet ownership may provide both protective and deleterious effects in a nonclinical sample.

Pet Attachment and the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide

Crisis ◽

10.1027/0227-5910/a000822 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Valerie J. Douglas ◽

Mun Yee Kwan ◽

Kathryn H. Gordon

Keyword(s):

Suicide Risk ◽

Attachment Anxiety ◽

Interpersonal Theory ◽

Pet Ownership ◽

Attachment Avoidance ◽

Pet Attachment ◽

Conditional Effect ◽

Mental Health Benefits ◽

Abstract. Background: Pet ownership is often assumed to have mental health benefits, but the effect of pets on suicide risk has a scant literature. Aims: Using the interpersonal theory of suicide, we examined the relationships between perceived burdensomeness (PB), thwarted belongingness (TB), overall attachment to one's pet, pet attachment avoidance or anxiety, and suicide risk. The following three hypotheses were investigated: (1) Higher attachment would be indirectly associated with lower suicide risk via lower TB and lower PB; (2) attachment would be associated with higher suicide risk, as conditioned on attachment avoidance/anxiety; and (3) attachment avoidance/anxiety would be associated with higher suicide risk via higher TB/PB. Method: Undergraduates ( N = 187) completed surveys, and indirect effect and conditional effect analyses were utilized. Results: Overall attachment was associated with lower PB, which was associated with lower suicide risk. The relationship between overall attachment and suicide risk was not conditional upon attachment anxiety/avoidance. Attachment avoidance was associated with increased levels of TB, which was associated with increased suicide risk. Attachment anxiety was associated with increased suicide risk via TB and PB. Limitations: We used a university sample that had limited access to pets. Conclusions: Findings suggest that pet ownership may provide mixed associations with suicide risk.

Weight Stigma, Suicide Risk, and the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide: The Roles of Emotion Dysregulation and Eating Pathology

10.31219/osf.io/bwhzq ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Valerie Jane Douglas ◽

Mun Yee Kwan ◽

Kathryn H. Gordon

Keyword(s):

Indirect Effect ◽

Emotion Dysregulation ◽

Suicide Risk ◽

Weight Stigma ◽

Emotional Dysregulation ◽

Interpersonal Theory ◽

Thwarted Belongingness ◽

Weight Stigmatization

Objective: Using an interpersonal theory of suicide framework, we investigated the relationships between perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness, weight stigmatization, emotion dysregulation, eating disorder symptoms, and suicide risk. Three hypotheses were investigated. First, we predicted a positive linear relationship between stigmatization and risk. Second, an indirect effect of stigmatization on risk via thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness was posited. Third, we hypothesized that weight stigmatization would indirectly affect suicide risk via emotion dysregulation as conditional upon disordered eating. Method: Undergraduates (N = 156) completed surveys online. Linear regressions, indirect effect analyses, and conditional process modeling were conducted to test our hypotheses. Results: Weight stigmatization was associated with suicide risk, where higher levels of stigmatization were associated with higher levels of suicide risk. Weight stigmatization indirectly affected suicide risk via perceived burdensomeness but not thwarted belongingness. Higher stigmatization was associated with higher levels of perceived burdensomeness, which was associated with higher risk. An indirect effect of weight stigmatization on suicide risk through emotional dysregulation emerged. Higher weight stigmatization was associated with higher emotional dysregulation, which was associated with higher suicide risk. Conclusions: Our findings may have clinical and public health implications for suicide prevention efforts targeting weight stigma-related risk factors.

775 The Relationship Between Sleep and Suicidal Ideation in College Students

SLEEP ◽

10.1093/sleep/zsab072.772 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. A301-A302

Author(s):

Krishna Taneja ◽

Andrew Tubbs ◽

Fabian-Xosé Fernandez ◽

Michael Perlis ◽

Michael Grandner

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Suicidal Ideation ◽

Suicide Risk ◽

Severity Index ◽

Interpersonal Theory ◽

Thwarted Belongingness ◽

Short Sleep ◽

Sleep Control

Abstract Introduction Suicide is the second-leading cause of death for young adults and insomnia increases suicide risk. However, the data on disrupted sleep and suicidal ideation in college students is mixed, including whether disrupted sleep fits into the framework of the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide. Therefore, the present study explored how four different sleep variables influenced recent suicidal ideation in a collegiate sample. Methods Data from N=506 respondents were collected as part of the Assessing Nocturnal Sleep/Wake Effects on Risk of Suicide (ANSWERS) Survey in college students. The primary outcome, active suicidal ideation in the last 3 months, was assessed using several self-report questions derived from the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale. The predictors were weekday short sleep (≤6h; assessed by retrospective sleep diary), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) score, Brief Inventory of Sleep Control (BRISC) score, and Disturbing Dreams and Nightmares Severity Index (DDNSI) score. Binomial logistic regression models estimated the associations between suicidal ideation and sleep variables in models that were unadjusted, adjusted for age, sex, race, and ethnicity, and additionally adjusted for thwarted belongingness or perceived burdensomeness (constructs from the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide). Results A total of N=121 (23.9%) respondents endorsed suicidal ideation in the last 3 months. Individuals with suicidal ideation were in poorer health (p<0.001) and had more severe depression (p<0.001) and anxiety (p<0.001). In unadjusted models, individuals were more likely to report suicidal ideation if they had short sleep (OR 1.93 [1.23–3.05]), ISI scores of 8 or more (OR 3.01 [1.94–4.74]), and DDNSI scores of 10 or more (OR 2.66 [1.69–4.19]). Higher BRISC scores were associated with lower odds of suicidal ideation (OR 0.53 [0.41–0.68]). Adjusting for age, sex, race, ethnicity, thwarted belongingness, and perceived burdensomeness attenuated but did not eliminate any of these relationships. Conclusion Insomnia, short sleep, nightmares, and less perceived sleep control were all associated with recent suicidal ideation in college students. Moreover, these findings were generally independent of the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide. Further research is needed to understand how sleep affects suicide risk in this population, and whether sleep interventions can reduce this risk. Support (if any):

Predicting suicidal ideation in a nationally representative sample of young adults: a 12-month prospective study

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291720005255 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-8

Author(s):

Karen Wetherall ◽

Seonaid Cleare ◽

Sarah Eschle ◽

Eamonn Ferguson ◽

Daryl B. O'Connor ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Suicidal Ideation ◽

Prospective Study ◽

Theoretical Models ◽

Interpersonal Theory ◽

Thwarted Belongingness ◽

Nationally Representative ◽

Abstract Background Evidence-based theoretical models outlining the pathways to the development of suicidal ideation may inform treatment. The current research draws from the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (IPT) and the Integrated Motivational-Volitional (IMV) Model of suicidal behaviour and aims to test the interaction between perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness as proposed by the IPT model, and the defeat-entrapment pathway as proposed by the IMV model, in the prediction of suicidal ideation at 12-month follow-up. Methods The Scottish Wellbeing Study is a nationally representative prospective study of young people aged 18–34 years (n = 3508) from across Scotland, who completed a baseline interview and a 12-month follow-up (n = 2420). The core factors from both the IPT (perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness) and the IMV model (defeat, internal and external entrapment) were measured alongside demographics, depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation at baseline. At 12-month follow-up, suicidal ideation was assessed again. Results In multiple regression analysis perceived burdensomeness and internal entrapment, with baseline suicidal ideation, predicted 12-month suicidal ideation. No support for the interaction between perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness in predicting 12-month suicidal ideation was found. However, there was evidence that internal, but not external, entrapment mediated the relationship between defeat and 12-month suicidal ideation, but no support was found for the moderation of burdensomeness and belongingness on the entrapment to suicidal ideation pathway. Conclusions The current findings highlight the importance of targeting perceived burdensomeness and internal entrapment to reduce the likelihood that suicidal ideation emerges in at risk individuals.

777 Sleep and non-suicidal self-injury in college students

SLEEP ◽

10.1093/sleep/zsab072.774 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. A302-A303

Author(s):

Sierra Hendershot ◽

Andrew Tubbs ◽

Fabian-Xosé Fernandez ◽

Michael Perlis ◽

Michael Grandner

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Suicide Risk ◽

Severity Index ◽

Interpersonal Theory ◽

Thwarted Belongingness ◽

Lower Odds ◽

Short Sleep ◽

Self Injury

Abstract Introduction Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) can increase suicide risk and is highly prevalent among young adults, including college students. While there is mounting evidence that disrupted sleep increases suicide risk, it is unclear how sleep influences NSSIs. Therefore, the present study explored how sleep variables were associated with NSSIs in a college sample. Methods Data from N=506 respondents were collected as part of the Assessing Nocturnal Sleep/Wake Effects on Risk of Suicide (ANSWERS) Survey of college students. The primary outcome, lifetime NSSI, was assessed using a self-report question derived from the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale. The predictors were weekday short sleep (≤ 6h; assessed by retrospective sleep diary), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) score, Brief Inventory of Sleep Control (BRISC) score, and Disturbing Dreams and Nightmares Severity Index (DDNSI) score. Binomial logistic regression models estimated the associations between NSSI and sleep variables in models that were unadjusted, adjusted for age, sex, race, and ethnicity, and additionally adjusted for thwarted belongingness or perceived burdensomeness from the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide. Results A total of N=142 (28.1%) respondents endorsed lifetime non-suicidal self-injury. Individuals with NSSI were more likely to be female (p=0.015), in poorer health (p<0.001), and have more severe depression (p<0.001) and anxiety (p<0.001) than those without NSSI. In unadjusted models, higher BRISC scores were associated with lower odds of NSSI (OR 0.55 [0.43–0.71]), DDNSI scores of >=10 increased the odds of NSSI (OR 2.65 [1.70–4.11], and ISI scores of >=8 increased the odds of NSSI (OR 2.05 [1.38–3.08]), while short sleep was not associated with NSSI. Adjusting for age, sex, race, ethnicity, and thwarted belongingness did not eliminate any of these relationships but adjusting for perceived burdensomeness rendered the association between insomnia and NSSI non-significant. Conclusion Individuals with significant insomnia symptoms or nightmares were more likely to report a history of NSSI, while individuals with greater perceived control of sleep had lower odds of NSSI. These findings were generally independent of the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide. Further research is needed regarding the timing of NSSI (i.e., do they occur more often during nocturnal wakefulness) and whether sleep interventions can reduce the risk of NSSI. Support (if any):

Autonomy as a Prospective Predictor of Perceived Burdensomeness and Thwarted Belongingness Through Symptoms of Depression

OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying ◽

10.1177/0030222815575702 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 73 (1) ◽

pp. 70-86 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Victoria M. O'Keefe ◽

DeMond M. Grant ◽

Raymond P. Tucker ◽

William V. Lechner ◽

Adam C. Mills ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Undergraduate Students ◽

Suicide Risk ◽

Depression Symptoms ◽

Clinical Implications ◽

Thwarted Belongingness ◽

Prospective Design ◽

Personality Styles ◽

Symptoms Of Depression ◽

This study examined the relationship between sociotropy, autonomy, depression symptoms, perceived burdensomeness, and thwarted belongingness in a sample of 113 undergraduate students. A prospective design with three time points was utilized to determine whether personality styles and depression symptoms play a role in the development of perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness, two interpersonal suicide risk factors. Time 1 autonomy predicted depression symptoms at Time 2; Time 2 depression symptoms predicted thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness at Time 3. Results suggest depression symptoms mediate the relationship between autonomy and thwarted belongingness, and autonomy and perceived burdensomeness. This study contributes to understanding how the presence of specific personality traits may lead to depression symptoms, which in turn leads to perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness. Clinical implications, including assessment of autonomy, and perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness, are discussed.

Role of thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness in the relationship between violent daydreaming and suicidal ideation in two adult samples

Journal of Aggression Conflict and Peace Research ◽

10.1108/jacpr-10-2016-0255 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 11-23 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Carol Chu ◽

Megan L. Rogers ◽

Anna R. Gai ◽

Thomas E. Joiner

Keyword(s):

Suicidal Ideation ◽

Self Report ◽

Interpersonal Theory ◽

Thwarted Belongingness ◽

Negative Attitudes ◽

Content Type ◽

Two Samples ◽

History Of ◽

Purpose Despite evidence that violent daydreaming is a correlate of suicidal ideation, no research has examined the mechanisms underlying this association. The interpersonal theory of suicide may provide insight. This theory postulates that individuals with high suicidal desire experience intractable feelings of perceived burdensomeness (PB) and thwarted belongingness (TB). Violent daydreaming may fuel negative attitudes toward others and oneself and turn attention away from loved ones, thereby increasing feelings that one is a burden on others (PB) and socially disconnected (TB). However, no studies have tested TB and PB as explanatory mechanisms. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationships between violent daydreaming, PB, TB, suicidal ideation, and depression in two samples (n=818). Design/methodology/approach Study 1 was comprised of general undergraduates, and Study 2 selected for undergraduates with a history of ideation. Self-report measures were administered and indirect effects analyses were conducted. Findings In both studies, violent daydreaming was associated with increased feelings of PB, TB, and ideation severity. Consistent with the interpersonal theory, TB and PB were significant parallel mediators of the relationship between violent daydreaming and suicidal ideation, beyond sex and age. In contrast to Study 1, results were no longer significant in Study 2 after accounting for depression. Originality/value This was the first study to test TB and PB as mechanisms underlying the relationship between violent daydreaming and suicide risk. Findings highlight the importance of monitoring and addressing violent daydreams and interpersonal functioning throughout treatment to mitigate risk.

How does someone who weighs so little feel like a burden to everyone?

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.eurpsy.2016.01.2233 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 33 (S1) ◽

pp. S598-S598

Author(s):

F. Coutinho ◽

I. Brandão ◽

E. Pereira

Keyword(s):

Anorexia Nervosa ◽

Case Report ◽

Suicide Attempts ◽

Interpersonal Theory ◽

Thwarted Belongingness ◽

Her Family ◽

Completed Suicide ◽

Competing Interest

IntroductionAnorexia nervosa (AN) is one of the most lethal psychiatric disorders, which is explained partially by starvation related health problems, but also because of high suicide rates. One of the proposed theories to explain a suicide attempt is the interpersonal theory of suicide (IPTS), with its three essential variables: feelings of thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness and the acquired capacity for suicide.ObjectiveTo review the literature about suicidality in AN and to present a case report of a patient with restrictive AN who has committed suicide.MethodsTo review of the literature using the database Medline, through PubMed, with the keywords “anorexia nervosa”, “eating disorders” and “suicide”.ResultsSuicide attempts and completed suicide are highly prevalent among patients with AN, and some authors suggest that 20–40% of deaths in AN are due to suicide. Recently, the IPTS has been proposed as a mean to explain increased suicidality in AN patients.ConclusionWe present a case report about a patient with a long standing AN who has committed suicide after leaving a goodbye note describing strong feelings of perceived burdensomeness directed to her family. It is of utmost importance to continue the study about the phenomenon of suicide in AN to be able to prevent this tragic outcome.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

An Experimental Test of the ‘Interpersonal’ in the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide

Journal of Experimental Psychopathology ◽

10.5127/jep.060316 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 8 (4) ◽

pp. 332-346 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Sarah E. George ◽

Khan R. L. Collins ◽

Temily Cao ◽

Werner G. K. Stritzke ◽

Andrew C. Page

Keyword(s):

Suicide Ideation ◽

Poor Performance ◽

Interpersonal Theory ◽

Experimental Paradigm ◽

Thwarted Belongingness ◽

Interpersonal Factors ◽

Interpersonal Needs ◽

Team Task

The interpersonal theory of suicide posits that failed interpersonal needs for efficacy and belongingness cause suicide ideation (Joiner, 2005). To distinguish whether their mechanism of action is interpersonal or via failure per se, an experimental paradigm was used. In Study 1 (n = 98), participants were randomly allocated to high or low perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness conditions. Those who experienced high levels of the interpersonal factors expressed a heightened desire to disengage from the interactive computerized team task. To test whether disengagement was caused by interpersonal factors or just poor performance, participants in Study 2 (n = 63) were randomly allocated to complete the task in collaborative (i.e., interpersonal) or competitive (i.e., intrapersonal) conditions. The deficits in persistence were greater among participants in the interpersonal condition, indicating that the interpersonal nature of perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness makes these factors particularly pernicious, supporting the emphasis of the interpersonal theory of suicide.

Suicide Risk in Older Adulthood: Differential Pathways Based on Race

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.988 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 308-309

Author(s):

Matthew Fullen ◽

Mary Mize ◽

Jihee Hong ◽

Laura Shannonhouse ◽

Jordan Westcott

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Older Adults ◽

Suicide Risk ◽

Late Life ◽

Interpersonal Theory ◽

Public Health Issue ◽

Thwarted Belongingness ◽

Older Adulthood ◽

Black And White

Abstract Late-life suicide is a complex public health issue, and older adults have a higher risk threshold than the national average (Drapeau & McIntosh, 2020). Most late-life suicide research focuses on elevated risk of older white males, and less is known about risk factors among Black older adults (Joe et al., 2014). Although fewer Black older adults die by suicide than White older adults, forms of suicidality do not differ between Black and White older adults (Cohen et al., 2008). Suicide risk factors, such as psychological distress (Watkins & Johnson, 2018) and chronic pain (Bazargan et al., 2016), are prevalent among Black older adults. According to the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (IPTS; Van Orden et al., 2016), thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness inform the development of suicidal desire. These findings have been corroborated among older adult samples, though lacking racial diversity. To better understand how the IPTS functions for older adults, and probe whether suicide risk pathways operate differently depending on race, we used data from over 400 homebound older adults residing in a U.S. metropolitan area to clarify if this suicide risk pathway is similar for Black and White older adults. Race moderated the relationship between physical and psychological pain and thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness, with pain among Black older adults having a greater impact on their sense of belonging and burdensomeness. Findings illuminate the need for culturally nuanced understandings of suicidality in older adulthood. The presenters will demonstrate these results and discuss implications for cross-cultural suicide prevention frameworks.