Reasons for Living and Suicidal Ideation among College Students with Varying Levels of Risk for Alcohol Related Problems.

Every year in the United States approximately 30,000 people commit suicide including approximately 1,100 college students. Furthermore, heavy alcohol consumption is prevalent on many college campuses and has been linked to suicidal behavior. The present study was conducted to examine suicidal ideation and reasons for living in college students with varying levels of risk for alcohol related problems. Undergraduate students (n = 161) were administered a survey to assess demographics, suicide ideation status, reasons for living, and the participant\u27s level of risk for alcohol related problems. Results indicated that suicide ideators are significantly more likely than non-ideators to be at risk for alcohol related problems. Also, women were significantly more likely to be suicide ideators and endorse more reasons for living. The results of this study may be used to identify groups who are at an increased risk for suicide, as well as to implement more efficient intervention and prevention programs on the collegiate level

Impulsivity and Reasons for Living Among African American Youth: A Risk-Protection Framework of Suicidal Ideation

This study aims to explore the impact of specific facets of impulsivity as measured by the UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale (UPPS), as well as reasons for living in predicting suicidal ideation among African American college-aged students. The incremental validity of each facet of the UPPS interacting with reasons for living, a construct meant to buffer against risk for suicide, was explored in a sample of African American students (N = 130; ages 18–24). Results revealed significant interactions between reasons for living and two factors of impulsivity, (lack of) premeditation and sensation seeking. Higher levels of sensation seeking and lack of premeditation in conjunction with lower reasons for living was associated with increased suicidal ideation. Neither urgency nor (lack of) perseverance significantly interacted with reasons for living in association with suicidal ideation. These results suggest including elements of impulsivity, specifically sensation seeking and (lack of) premeditation, when screening for suicidal ideation among African American youth. Future investigations should continue to integrate factors of both risk and protection when determining risk for suicide

Cognitive behavioral group therapy versus psychoeducational intervention in Parkinson's disease

Objective: The aim of the current study was to evaluate whether cognitive behavioral group therapy has a positive impact on psychiatric, and motor and non-motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Methods: We assigned 20 PD patients with a diagnosis of psychiatric disorder to either a 12-week cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) group or a psychoeducational protocol. For the neurological examination, we administered the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale and the non-motor symptoms scale. The severity of psychiatric symptoms was assessed by means of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, and the Clinical Global Impressions. Results: Cognitive behavioral group therapy was effective in treating depression and anxiety symptoms as well as reducing the severity of non-motor symptoms in PD patients; whereas, no changes were observed in PD patients treated with the psychoeducational protocol. Conclusion: CBT offered in a group format should be considered in addition to standard drug therapy in PD patient

Initial Validation of the Suicide Competency Assessment Form among Behavioral Health Staff in the National Health Services (NHS) Trust. Archives of Suicide Research

Objective: The Suicide Competency Assessment Form (SCAF) provides a framework for suicide prevention skills training. This study assessed SCAF psychometric properties in a sample of behavioral health staff. Method: A cross-sectional survey of National Health Services (NHS) staff from varying disciplines (N=170) was conducted. Results: The SCAF yielded a one-factor structure with high internal consistency. Nursing assistants reported lower SCAF scores compared to other professionals. SCAF scores demonstrated positive associations with prior suicide prevention training, job enthusiasm, and several suicide/self-injury prevention outcome expectations (i.e., optimism working with self-harming patients and perceived ability to help self-harming patients). SCAF scores further demonstrated incremental validity in the form of multivariate model associations with suicide/self-injury prevention outcome expectations. Improved job satisfaction mediated the pathway from SCAF scores to perceived ability to help self-harming patients. Conclusion: The SCAF can be utilized in suicide prevention training and clinical supervision

Anxiety, Prenatal Attachment, and Depressive Symptoms in Women with Diabetes in Pregnancy

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between anxiety, prenatal attachment, and depressive symptoms among women with diabetes in pregnancy. Participants were 131 consecutive pregnant women between the ages of 20 and 45 with a diagnosis of gestational or pregestational type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Data on previous psychiatric symptoms were obtained from the Anamnestic and Social Questionnaire and the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). Information on prenatal attachment was collected using The Prenatal Attachment Inventory (PAI), and The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) assessed depressive symptoms in the third trimester of pregnancy (at a mean of 25 weeks). Results demonstrated that in women aected by diabetes in pregnancy, two facets of prenatal attachment (anticipation, interaction) were negatively correlated with depressive symptoms, and a history of anxiety, assessed with the MINI, moderated the relation between the prenatal attachment interaction factor and depressive symptoms during pregnancy

White matter hyperintensities and self-reported depression in a sample of patients with chronic headache

White matter hyperintensities (WMH) have been associated with mood disorders in psychiatric patients. In the present study, we aimed to assess whether WMHs are associated with depressive symptoms and different sensitivity of the behavioral inhibition (BIS), and activation (BAS) systems in patients with chronic headache. Participants were 85 adult outpatients (16 men and 69 women) with a diagnosis of chronic headache. All of the patients underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and were administered the BIS/BAS scales and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Above 40 % of patients had periventricular WMHs (PWMHs) and almost 98 % had deep WMHs (DWMHs). Patients with PWMHs reported fewer depressive symptoms than patients without PWMHs. Patients with more severe DWMHs (compared with patients with mild or without DWMH lesions) were older and reported lower scores on the drive dimension of the BIS/BAS scales. In multivariate analyses, patients with PWMHs were 1.06 times more likely to report fewer depressive symptoms than patients without PWMHs. WMH lesions in patients with chronic headache were associated with less depression severity

Examining the Role of Adverse Life Events And Daily Hassles in Suicide

Exceeding previously available studies in both scope and depth, the two-volume Suicide: A Global Issue explores and explains both why suicides-and suicide attempts-occur and what can be done to prevent them. The first volume, Understanding, considers factors that may play into the choice to take one\u27s life, discussing forces as varied as culture, psychology, religion, and biology. The second volume, Prevention, covers steps that can be taken to prevent suicide, whether individually or by society as a whole. Articles by widely respected experts consider questions such as why people kill themselves, why some countries have extremely high suicide rates, and whether the treatment of suicidal individuals actually prevents them from taking their lives. Each chapter presents incidents, research, and actions from nations around the globe, as well as from the United States

Adaptive Characteristics and Suicidal Behavior: A Gender Comparison of Young Adults

Differences in suicidal behavior and adaptive characteristics were examined in college students with a particular emphasis on gender differences. Participants consisted of 344 undergraduate students who were administered a revised version of the Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire (SBQ), the Expanded Reasons for Living Inventory (RFL), and a demographic questionnaire. Results of this study suggest that there are significant differences between levels of adaptive characteristics in women and men. Women consistently scored higher on the Survival and Coping Beliefs, Responsibility to Family, Child-Related Concerns, and Fear of Suicide subscales of the RFL. No difference between genders was found for suicidal behavior. The current study provides insight into the similarities as well as the differences in adaptive characteristics and suicidal behavior between genders. The results of this study should be useful in preparing more specific target interventions for preventing suicide and strengthening coping skills among young adults