Exposure to suicide in the family: Suicide risk and psychache in individualswho have lost a family member by suicide

Objective: The aim of the present study was to compare a sample of Portuguese individuals exposed to suicide in their families with a control group, for lifetime suicidality. This study also evaluated the incremental value of psychache (i.e., extreme psychological pain) in determining suicide risk beyond the contribution associated with having lost a family member by suicide. Method: A total of 225 community adults participated. Two groups were defined: a group exposed to suicide (n=53), and a control group (n = 172). Results: Results demonstrated that groups did significantly differ on the total score of the Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R), on the four individual SBQ-R items, and on psychache. Results from a hierarchical multiple regression analysis demonstrated that having lost a family member by suicide and the construct of psychache each provided a significant unique contribution to explaining variance in suicide risk. The interaction between group membership and psychache also provided a further enhancement to the statistical prediction of suicide risk. Conclusion: Findings are discussed with regard to their implications for clinical intervention and postvention

Self-report depressive symptoms do not directly predict suicidality in nonclinical individuals: Contributions toward a more psychosocial approach to suicide risk

Although suicidality is associated with mental illness in general and depression in particular, many depressed individuals do not attempt suicide and some individuals who attempt to or do die by suicide do not present depressive symptoms. This article aims to contribute to a more psychosocial approach to understanding suicide risk in nonclinical populations. In advocating a psychosocial perspective rather than a depression-focused approach, this article presents four diverse studies that demonstrate sampling and measurement invariance in findings across different populations and specific measures. Study 1 tests the mediation effects of 2 interpersonal variables, thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness, in the association between depressive symptoms and recent suicidality. Studies 2 and 3 evaluate the contribution of hopelessness and psychache, beyond depressive symptoms, to suicidality. Study 4 tests the contribution of life events behind depressive symptoms, and other relevant sociodemographic and clinical variables, to the estimation of “future suicidality.” Overall, results demonstrate that depressive symptoms do not directly predict suicidality in nonclinical individuals, but that other psychosocial variables mediate the association between depressive symptoms and suicidality or predict suicidality when statistically controlling for depressive symptoms. The article contributes to understanding some of the nonpsychopathological factors that potentially link depressive symptoms to suicide risk and that might themselves contribute to suicidality, even when controlling for depressive symptoms

An Analysis of the Psychache Scale in College Student Problematic Drinkers

Objectives:The objective of the present study was to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Psychache Scale in college students considered to be problematic drinkers. Methods:Cross-sectional self-report data from 463 undergraduate students who were likely to be hazardous or harmful drinkers were used to study the internal factor structure, internal consistency, and concurrent validity of the scale. Results:A series of factor analyses revealed that the scale appears to consist of 2 factors, in contrast to the hypothesized unidimensional structure. These 2 factors appear to capture the frequency and severity of the respondents\u27 levels of psychache. Moreover, these 2 factors appear to be a result of the test\u27s construction in that item stems with identical response options loaded on the same factor. The scale was also significantly correlated with other measures of psychological distress including depression, hopelessness, and substance use. Conclusion:The clinical implications of these findings are briefly discussed, with further research being needed to better understand the Psychache Scale\u27s characteristics in substance use and other populations likely to experience psychological pain, and therefore at risk for suicidal behavior

Review of Predictors of Suicide within 1 year of Discharge from a Psychiatric Hospital

Previous research has shown that suicide risk is highest in the year after people have been discharged from a psychiatric hospital. As such, identifying predictors of suicide within this time frame is important. Results from a systematic database search showed that all significant suicide predictors—those found in more than one study—could be grouped into factors related to suicidality, patient care factors, and demographic and psychopathological factors. Increased knowledge of suicide predictors for this particularly high-risk time, identified in this review, can help inform prevention and intervention efforts that may significantly reduce suicide rates

Review of Predictors of Suicide within 1 year of Discharge from a Psychiatric Hospital

Previous research has shown that suicide risk is highest in the year after people have been discharged from a psychiatric hospital. As such, identifying predictors of suicide within this time frame is important. Results from a systematic database search showed that all significant suicide predictors—those found in more than one study—could be grouped into factors related to suicidality, patient care factors, and demographic and psychopathological factors. Increased knowledge of suicide predictors for this particularly high-risk time, identified in this review, can help inform prevention and intervention efforts that may significantly reduce suicide rates