Proximal Associations of Alcohol Use with Suicidal Ideation and Behaviors in College Students

Despite the high levels of alcohol use among college students, the proximal role it plays in the development of suicide risk is not well understood. A theory-guided understanding of the connection between alcohol use and suicide risk, such as that afforded by the interpersonal-psychological theory of suicide and alcohol myopia model, will advance efforts to prevent this leading cause of death in college students. The present dissertation is the first to test an integration of these theories. Using a repeated measures design, daily data on alcohol use and suicidal ideation and behaviors (aborted, interrupted, and actual attempts) were collected from 206 (150 women, 53 men, 3 “Other”) college students over 90 days. Participants completed 7,342 (39.6%) of the 18,540 surveys sent. Hypotheses were generally not supported. Alcohol use (drinking day, binge drinking day, number of drinks) was negatively associated with suicidal ideation, and the hypothesized three-way interaction among perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness, and alcohol was not significant. Drinking occurring on a given day was positively associated with daily acquired capability; however, such capability did not mediate the relation between drinking day and suicidal behavior. Finally, suicidal ideation and drinking day positively associated with suicidal behavior; however, the hypothesized interaction between acquired capability and suicidal ideation was not associated with suicidal behavior. These results provide no evidence that alcohol use amplifies the effects of unmet interpersonal needs on suicidal ideation, but alcohol use is associated with increased acquired capability and suicidal behavior. Furthermore, the tenets of the interpersonal psychological theory were not replicated in this study. These findings may be sample-specific given that the participants were young and in college. Additional tests of this model in different samples are needed

Psychological Abuse, Mental Health, and Acceptance of Dating Violence Among Adolescents

Purpose Existing literature indicates that acceptance of dating violence is a significant and robust risk factor for psychological dating abuse perpetration. Past work also indicates a significant relationship between psychological dating abuse perpetration and poor mental health. However, no known research has examined the relationship between acceptance of dating violence, perpetration of dating abuse, and mental health. In addition to exploring this complex relationship, the present study examines whether psychological abuse perpetration mediates the relationship between acceptance of dating violence and mental health (i.e., internalizing symptoms of depression, anxiety, and hostility). Methods Three waves of longitudinal data were obtained from 1,042 ethnically diverse high school students in Texas. Participants completed assessments of psychological dating abuse perpetration, acceptance of dating violence, and internalizing symptoms (hostility and symptoms of anxiety and depression). Results As predicted, results indicated that perpetration of psychological abuse was significantly associated with acceptance of dating violence and all internalizing symptoms. Furthermore, psychological abuse mediated the relationship between acceptance of dating violence and internalizing symptoms. Conclusions Findings from the present study suggest that acceptance of dating violence is an important target for the prevention of dating violence and related emotional distress

Prevalence and Correlates of Suicidal Ideation among Court-Referred Male Perpetrators of Intimate Partner Violence

Despite the documented association between intimate partner violence perpetration and suicidal ideation, few studies have examined the prevalence and correlates of suicidal ideation in men attending batterer intervention programs. This cross-sectional study examined the prevalence and correlates of suicidal ideation in 294 males court-ordered to a batterer intervention program. Twenty-two percent of the sample reported experiencing suicidal ideation within the two weeks prior to entering the batterer intervention program. Multiple linear regression indicated that depression and borderline personality disorder symptoms, but not intimate partner violence perpetration, victimization, or antisocial personality disorder symptoms, accounted for significant variance in suicidal ideation. These results suggest that symptoms of depression and borderline personality disorder observed in males attending batterer intervention programs should warrant thorough suicide risk assessment. Implications of the findings and limitations of the study are discussed

An exploratory factor analysis of the Acquired Capability for Suicide Scale in male prison inmates.

Prison inmates are exposed to a number of adverse conditions prior to and during incarceration that place them at risk for suicide. The interpersonal theory of suicide may prove useful in better understanding suicide in prisons, allowing for more effective prevention and treatment programs. However, no studies of the interpersonal theory have been conducted in prison populations. Further, there have been no studies examining the factor structure of the assessment of one of the theory’s main constructs: the acquired capability for suicide. The current study examined the factor structure of the Acquired Capability for Suicide Scale in a sample of male prison inmates. We found that a four-factor model provided the best statistical and conceptual fit; though, only three of these factors were meaningful with an additional method-factor. The three resulting factors were each associated with previous exposure to painful and provocative events, but none differentiated suicide attempter status. Results suggest that the interpersonal theory has promise in application to suicide in prison populations, but more work is needed to develop a self-report measure of acquired capability, particularly as it relates to prisoners

Psychopathic Personality Traits, Suicide Ideation, and Suicide Attempts in Male Prison Inmates

Prison inmates are at greater risk for death by suicide compared with the general population. Although many risk factors for suicide identified in the general population (e.g., depression, substance abuse) also apply to prison populations, few studies have examined variables that are of particular relevance to prison inmates. The current study used cross-sectional survey methodology to examine the relationships of primary and secondary psychopathic personality traits with current suicide ideation and previous suicide attempts in a sample of male prison inmates. Prison inmates who endorsed greater secondary psychopathic traits were more likely to be multiple-suicide attempters versus single and nonattempters. Primary psychopathic traits did not predict suicide attempt status. The relationship of secondary psychopathic traits and suicide ideation grew stronger as depressive symptoms increased. Primary psychopathic traits were not associated with increased suicide ideation either alone or in confluence with depressive symptoms

An Exploratory Factor Analysis of the Acquired Capability for Suicide Scale in Male Prison Inmates

Prison inmates are exposed to a number of adverse conditions prior to and during incarceration that place them at risk for suicide. The interpersonal theory of suicide may prove useful in better understanding suicide in prisons, allowing for more effective prevention and treatment programs. However, no studies of the interpersonal theory have been conducted in prison populations. Further, there have been no studies examining the factor structure of the assessment of one of the theory\u27s main constructs: the acquired capability for suicide. The current study examined the factor structure of the Acquired Capability for Suicide Scale in a sample of male prison inmates. We found that a 4-factor model provided the best statistical and conceptual fit, though only 3 of these factors were meaningful with an additional method-factor. The 3 resulting factors were each associated with previous exposure to painful and provocative events, but none differentiated suicide attempter status. Results suggest that the interpersonal theory has promise in application to suicide in prison populations, but more work is needed to develop a self-report measure of acquired capability, particularly as it relates to prisoners