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Chen S, Park EC, Harris LM, Sigel AN, Broshek CE, Joiner TE, Ribeiro JD. Beyond words: Semantic satiation and the mental accessibility of the concept of suicide. Behav Res Ther 2024; 179:104573. [PMID: 38781625 DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2024.104573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Disrupting the accessibility of the mental representation of suicide may be a possible pathway to a strategy for suicide prevention. Our study aims to theoretically evaluate this perspective by examining the impact of temporarily disrupting the concept of suicide on perceptions of suicide. Using a within-subject design, we tested the effects of semantic satiation targeting the word "suicide" on the perceptual judgment of suicide-relevant pictures in 104 young adults. On each trial, participants repeated aloud one of the three words (i.e., "accident," "murder," or "suicide") either three times (priming) or 30 times (satiation) and indicated whether a subsequent picture matched with the word. Results indicated that satiation of the word "suicide" slowed the accurate categorization of pictures related to all three words, and satiation of "murder" and "accident" delayed participants' judgment of suicide-relevant pictures. Our findings support that semantic satiation can render the suicide concept temporarily less accessible, thereby providing preliminary support for the strategy of concept disruption in suicide prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shenghao Chen
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, USA.
| | - Esther C Park
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, USA
| | | | - Anika N Sigel
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, USA
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Shou Y, Gulliver A, Farrer LM, Dawel A, Burns R, Calear AL, Cherbuin N, Batterham PJ. Psychological mechanisms of the development of suicidal ideation: Longitudinal cohort study. Suicide Life Threat Behav 2024; 54:593-605. [PMID: 38436505 DOI: 10.1111/sltb.13060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms of the development of suicidal ideation and its moderating and protective factors. Drawing on the Interpersonal-psychological theory of suicide, we proposed that disruptions to belongingness, in conjunction with tolerance of health risk, may influence the development of suicidal ideation above and beyond psychosocial changes such as disruptions to finances and work. METHODS The study involved a longitudinal investigation of an Australian representative sample reporting suicidal ideation fortnightly for 12 weeks between March and June 2020. RESULTS The results indicated that participants who reported higher levels of belongingness, mastery, and intolerance of health risk were less likely to experience suicidal ideation and had lower severity of suicidal ideation. Mastery significantly strengthened the negative link between belongingness and the incidence of suicidal ideation, while agreeableness significantly strengthened the negative link between belongingness and the severity of suicidal ideation over time. CONCLUSION The findings suggest that supporting effective social connectedness during times of isolation and promoting self-efficacy, mastery, and regulation of risk tolerance, may be crucial for suicide prevention and therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiyun Shou
- School of Medicine and Psychology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
- Lloyd's Register Foundation Institute for the Public Understanding of Risk, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Amelia Gulliver
- Centre for Mental Health Research, National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Louise M Farrer
- Centre for Mental Health Research, National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Amy Dawel
- School of Medicine and Psychology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Richard Burns
- Department of Health, Economics, Wellbeing, and Society, National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Alison L Calear
- Centre for Mental Health Research, National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Nicolas Cherbuin
- Department of Health, Economics, Wellbeing, and Society, National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Philip J Batterham
- Centre for Mental Health Research, National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
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Park EC, Harris LM, Sigel AN, Huang X, Chen S, Ribeiro JD. Is physical pain causally related to suicidal behavior: An experimental test. Behav Res Ther 2023; 165:104321. [PMID: 37116304 DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2023.104321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
Existing evidence suggests a link between physical pain and suicide, but the nature of this relationship remains unknown. To address this critical gap in knowledge, the present study leveraged a validated virtual reality (VR) suicide paradigm to experimentally examine the causal effects of physical pain on subsequent virtual suicidal behaviors. Based on previous findings, we hypothesized that physical pain would causally drive virtual suicidal behavior only if suicide was conceptualized as having desirable anticipated consequences (e.g., a means of escaping from current pain; an opportunity to avoid future pain). We tested this by randomizing 326 participants across four different conditions: a physical pain condition, an anticipated escape condition, an anticipated avoidance condition, and a control condition. As predicted, physical pain alone did not result in statistically significant increases in VR suicide rates; however, the anticipation that virtual suicidal behavior would result in the avoidance of future physical pain had a large causal effect on VR suicide rates (B = 1.61, p < .001, IRR = 5.01). We failed to find evidence that anticipating that VR suicide would provide an escape from currently experienced physical pain increases the likelihood of VR suicide. Our findings add to a growing body of evidence suggesting that the anticipated consequences of suicide (e.g., avoidance of future physical pain) may serve as primary causes of suicidal behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther C Park
- Florida State University, Department of Psychology, 1107 W Call St., Tallahassee, FL, 32304, United States.
| | - Lauren M Harris
- Florida State University, Department of Psychology, 1107 W Call St., Tallahassee, FL, 32304, United States
| | - Anika N Sigel
- Florida State University, Department of Psychology, 1107 W Call St., Tallahassee, FL, 32304, United States
| | - Xieyining Huang
- Florida State University, Department of Psychology, 1107 W Call St., Tallahassee, FL, 32304, United States
| | - Shenghao Chen
- Florida State University, Department of Psychology, 1107 W Call St., Tallahassee, FL, 32304, United States
| | - Jessica D Ribeiro
- Florida State University, Department of Psychology, 1107 W Call St., Tallahassee, FL, 32304, United States
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Rzeszutek MJ, DeFulio A, Sylvester GE. A Systematic Review of Behavior-Outcome Psychological Assessments as Correlates of Suicidality. Arch Suicide Res 2022; 26:1757-1793. [PMID: 35023805 DOI: 10.1080/13811118.2021.2022049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
AIM Identifying correlates of suicidality is an important goal for suicide researchers because these correlates may predict suicidal behaviors. Psychological tasks that assess sensitivity to the outcomes of actions (i.e., consequence-based learning) have been commonly used by researchers seeking to identify correlates of suicidality. This is likely due to the straightforward integration of the tasks within most theoretical frameworks for understanding suicidality. Contextual factors have been shown to have a substantial effect on responding in behavior-outcome tasks. However, the direct relevance of these factors as determinants of behavior in suicide research is not clear. Thus, the purpose of this review was to assess the role of context in tasks involving behavior-outcome relations in suicide research. METHODS Four databases were searched using terms from general learning theory. Articles that featured evaluation of tasks with hypothetical or real outcomes to differentiate suicidality were included. RESULTS Eighty-two studies met inclusion criteria. Across studies there were 27 different tasks. Most instances of tasks across studies involved rewards (76.9%), while others emphasized punishment (15.7%), social (5.6%), or virtual suicide (1.8%) outcomes. Differentiation of suicidality was detected by 43.4%, 64.7%, 83.3%, and 50% of tasks featuring reward, punishment, social contexts, and virtual suicide respectively. All but five studies were retrospective. CONCLUSION Tasks that more closely mimic contexts and outcomes related to suicide appear to produce more pronounced differentiation of people with suicidality from people without suicidality. The lack of prospective designs is an important limitation of the literature.HIGHLIGHTSTasks that involve punishment or social outcomes better discriminate suicidality.Reward-based tasks are overused in suicide research.The conditioning hypothesis of suicidality is closely aligned with the literature.Only 5 of 82 studies incorporated prospective measures.
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Harris LM, Broshek CE, Ribeiro JD. Does Body Mass Index Confer Risk for Future Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors? A Meta-analysis of Longitudinal Studies. Curr Obes Rep 2022; 11:45-54. [PMID: 35174455 DOI: 10.1007/s13679-022-00468-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Body mass index (BMI) outside of the "normal" range is commonly cited as a predictor of adverse health outcomes and has been identified as a potential risk factor for suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs). This meta-analysis provides a descriptive and quantitative summary of the literature evaluating the longitudinal relationship between BMI/weight status and STBs. RECENT FINDINGS The longitudinal literature examining the relationship between BMI/weight status and STBs is small and methodologically constrained. Within the existing literature, BMI and weight status are generally weak or nonsignificant risk factors for STBs. It is possible that body weight has a complex relationship with physical and mental health, including STBs, which may not be possible to accurately capture with a singular metric such as BMI. BMI and weight status do not appear to robustly predict STBs, at least within the methodological constraints of the existing literature.
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Raising doubt about the anticipated consequences of suicidal behavior: Evidence for a new approach from laboratory and real-world experiments. Behav Res Ther 2021; 147:103971. [PMID: 34597872 DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2021.103971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Converging evidence from basic science and experimental suicide research suggest that the anticipated consequences of suicide may have direct causal effects on suicidal behavior and accordingly represent a promising intervention target. Raising doubt about individuals' desirable anticipated consequences of suicide may be one means of disrupting this target. We tested this possibility across two complementary experimental studies. METHOD Study 1 tested the effects of raising doubt about desirable anticipated consequences on virtual reality (VR) suicide in the lab, randomizing 413 participants across four conditions. In Study 2, 226 suicidal adults were randomized to an anticipated consequence manipulation or control condition then re-assessed at 2- and 8-weeks post-baseline. RESULTS In Study 1, anticipating that engaging in VR suicide would guarantee a desirable outcome significantly increased the VR suicide rate; conversely, raising doubt about the desirable anticipated consequences significantly reduced the VR suicide rate. In Study 2, raising doubt about the anticipated consequences of attempting suicide by firearm significantly reduced the perceived lethality of firearms as well as self-predicted likelihood of future suicide attempts, with effects sustained at 2-week follow-up. CONCLUSIONS Findings suggest that raising doubt about desirable anticipated consequences of suicide merits further research as one potential approach to inhibit suicidal behavior.
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Huang X, Funsch KM, Park EC, Conway P, Franklin JC, Ribeiro JD. Longitudinal studies support the safety and ethics of virtual reality suicide as a research method. Sci Rep 2021; 11:9653. [PMID: 33958677 PMCID: PMC8102588 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-89152-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Many have expressed concerns about the safety and ethics of conducting suicide research, especially intense suicide research methods that expose participants to graphic depictions of suicidality. We conducted two studies to evaluate the effects of one such method called virtual reality (VR) suicide. Study 1 tested the effects of VR suicide exposure over the course of one month in participants with (n = 56) and without a history of suicidality (n = 50). Study 2 exposed some participants to VR suicide scenarios (n = 79) and others to control scenarios (n = 80). Participants were invited to complete a follow-up assessment after an average of 2 years. For both studies, the presence of suicidality post exposure was the primary outcome, with closely related constructs (e.g., capability for suicide, agitation) as secondary outcomes. Study 1 found no pre-post increases in suicidality or related variables, but revealed several significant decreases associated with small to medium effect sizes in suicide-related constructs. In Study 2, VR suicide exposure did not cause any significant increases in suicidality or related variables. Together with prior research, these findings suggest that methods involving intense suicide stimuli appear safe and consistent with utilitarian ethics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xieyining Huang
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, 1107 W Call St, Tallahassee, FL, 32304, USA.
| | - Kensie M Funsch
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W. Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Esther C Park
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, 1107 W Call St, Tallahassee, FL, 32304, USA
| | - Paul Conway
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, 1107 W Call St, Tallahassee, FL, 32304, USA
| | - Joseph C Franklin
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, 1107 W Call St, Tallahassee, FL, 32304, USA
| | - Jessica D Ribeiro
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, 1107 W Call St, Tallahassee, FL, 32304, USA
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