Perceived Burdensomeness, Thwarted Belongingness and Acquired Capability for Suicide: Suicidal Risk Factors in an Incarcerated Population

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in incarcerated individuals. Previous research suggests that prior suicidal behaviors, history of substance abuse/dependence, and depressive symptoms are common risk factors associated with death by suicide in incarcerated populations. Additionally, offenders who have committed violent crimes, are incarcerated in higher security institutions, and have longer sentences are also at increased risk for suicide. Although research has identified risk factors for suicidal behaviors, there has been very little theory-driven research on suicidal behaviors in incarcerated populations. Joiner\u27s interpersonal theory of suicide (Joiner, 2005; Van Orden et al., 2010) may be an especially promising tool for use in studying suicidal behaviors in incarcerated individuals. The current study assessed whether federally incarcerated individuals (n = 114) differed from community controls (n = 96) in levels of perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness, and acquired capability for suicide, components of Joiner\u27s interpersonal theory. Incarcerated individuals did not report greater levels of perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness, exposure to painful and provocative events, and acquired capability for suicide compared to community controls. Findings from an exploratory factor analysis of painful and provocative events in incarcerated individuals suggest that when controlling for other significant factors, legal painful and provocative events were independently predictive of acquired capability for suicide. Further research on suicidal risk factors in incarcerated populations is recommended and may prove especially useful in improving risk identification programs used in incarceration settings

Pain and Suicide in a Population-Based Sample

Previous research suggests that individuals who experience chronic pain are at increased risk for suicidal behaviors. No studies, however, have specifically examined the association between headaches and fatal suicide behavior. Furthermore, it remains unclear whether gender moderates the relation between pain and suicide, and whether the relation is independent of the effects of depression. The present study aimed to characterize the relation between pain (headache, back, shoulder, and neck) and suicide. Data were obtained from two sources in the Swedish Twin Registry. A total of 42,928 individuals responded to headache questions in either 1967 or 1973 for the first data source. The second data source, which began in 1998, consisted of data from 40,912 individuals who responded to questions assessing for back, shoulder and neck pain along with 24,987 individuals who responded to headache questions. Survival analysis using Poisson regression was used to estimate the risk of suicide associated with pain variables. Analyses indicated that women who experienced headaches were two times more likely to die by suicide than women who did not experience headaches. Additionally, men who reported pain were almost four times more likely to die by suicide than men who did not report pain, even after controlling for depressive symptoms. The findings, obtained in one of the largest studies examining pain and prediction of suicide in a population-based sample, support that pain (including headaches) is associated with suicide, and suggest that gender may be an important moderator in the relation between pain and suicide

Sleep Disorders and the Interpersonal-Psychological Theory of Suicide: Independent Pathways to Suicidality?

Background: Although sleep disorders are a risk factor for suicidal behavior little research has examined why sleep disorders confer suicide risk. The present study examined the relation between two sleep disorders, insomnia symptoms and nightmares, and suicide risk in the context of joiner\u27s interpersonal-psychological theory of suicide (IPTS). Methods: The present study utilized two large samples (N=747 and 604) recruited from two large public universities in the Southeast. Both studies included measures of insomnia symptoms, nightmares, depressive symptoms, and prior suicide attempts. In addition, study one contained a measure of suicide risk. Results: In study 1, the relations between insomnia symptoms and both suicide risk and prior attempts were not significant after controlling for the IPTS. However, nightmares were related to both suicide risk and suicide attempts independent of the IPTS. Furthermore, nightmares nearly missed significance in the prediction of suicide risk (p=0.054) and significantly predicted suicide attempts even after controlling for depressive symptoms. In study 2, both insomnia and nightmares were found to be significantly associated with prior suicide attempts after controlling for the IPTS and depressive symptoms. Limitations: The study is limited by its use of a college sample and cross-sectional design. Conclusions: These studies suggest that the IPTS may not explain the relation between sleep problems and suicidality. More research is needed to understand the mechanism by which sleep disorders confer suicide risk, which is clinically relevant as it may inform specific interventions to reduce the adverse effects of sleep disorders. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved