1
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Orson J, Pearson L, Parker S. 'I felt like I'd lost control of everything': An exploration of metacognition and masculinity in men experiencing suicidality. Psychol Psychother 2024. [PMID: 38284500 DOI: 10.1111/papt.12519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 12/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Seventy-five per cent of UK suicides are completed by men, and associated masculinity beliefs are well researched. The self-regulatory executive functioning (S-REF) model of distress is governed by metacognitive beliefs about mental processes, such as worry and rumination. Little is known about metacognition in male suicidality and how these processes interact with masculinity beliefs, suicidal ideation and behaviour. AIMS To identify which aspects of the S-REF model were present in a sample of men experiencing suicidality, and to consider how these processes interact with masculinity beliefs, suicidal ideation and behaviour. METHOD Fifteen men experiencing suicidal ideation or behaviour were recruited from a home-based treatment team. Semi-structured interviews and self-report measures were administered to identify metacognitive processes and masculinity beliefs. Interviews were analysed using the framework approach. RESULTS The S-REF model was identified across three super-ordinate themes; 'the cognitive attentional syndrome (CAS) and maladaptive coping', 'metacognitive beliefs about worry, uncontrollability and danger' and 'consequences'. Thirteen sub-ordinate themes included processes such as 'worry' and 'rumination', metacognitive beliefs such as 'worrying helps me avoid problems' and 'worry is dangerous for me' and emotional consequences such as 'overwhelm', 'emasculation' and 'escape'. CONCLUSION Perseverative thinking and erroneous metacognitive beliefs were associated with reduced functioning, which was incompatible with masculinity beliefs about leadership and strength, and suicide was considered as re-establishing control. Further research into metacognitive processes in male suicidality would enhance theoretical understanding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonothan Orson
- Mental Health Nursing Research Unit, Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS FT, Manchester, UK
| | - Lydia Pearson
- Youth Mental Health Research Unit, Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS FT, Manchester, UK
| | - Sophie Parker
- Youth Mental Health Research Unit, Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS FT, Manchester, UK
- Division of Psychology and Mental Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
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2
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Wilbur DS. Public Relations as a Factor in the Prevention of Suicide: The Veteran Administrations Crisis Line. HEALTH COMMUNICATION 2023; 38:2461-2469. [PMID: 35816373 DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2022.2074936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
This study examines the effectiveness of the Veterans Administration's (VA) public relations and the effectiveness of advertisements of its suicide hotline, which is called the veterans crisis line (VCL). Using the organization-public relations theory (OPR) this study examined whether known failures of VA marketing campaigns for the VCL could be related to public relations factors. This study found that the VA suffers from a negative perception with veterans, and this translated into lower support for the VCL compared to another suicide hotline. This study concludes that ineffective public relations may indeed be a factor in the reluctance of veterans in crisis to call the VCL for life saving mental health support.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas S Wilbur
- Joint Special Operations University
- Department of Communication, The University of Texas at San Antonio, TX, USA
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3
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Two sides of the same coin? The association between suicide stigma and suicide normalisation. Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci 2022; 31:e78. [PMID: 36330742 PMCID: PMC9677440 DOI: 10.1017/s2045796022000610] [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: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS Evidence suggests that suicide stigma (i.e. negative attitudes towards persons affected by suicide/suicidality) and suicide normalisation (i.e. liberal attitudes towards suicide) are both associated with increased suicide risk. Despite conceptual similarities and potential interaction, suicide stigma and suicide normalisation have usually been investigated separately. We used cross-sectional data from a community sample to test the association between suicide stigma and suicide normalisation as well as to identify their respective determinants and consequences. METHODS Participants were N = 3.269 adults recruited from an established online-panel using quotas to reflect the composition of the German general population with regard to age, gender, education and region. We collected information about suicide stigma, suicide normalisation, intentions to seek help for suicidality, current suicidality, suicide literacy, negative mood and socio-demographic variables. We used regression modelling to determine the association between suicide stigma and suicide normalisation as well as to identify their determinants and consequences. RESULTS Suicide stigma and suicide normalisation were inversely associated so that higher suicide stigma scores were linked to lower suicide normalisation. More suicide stigma was associated with reduced intentions to seeking professional help, increased willingness to seek help from family and friends and lower odds to experience current suicidality, however the association between suicide stigma and intentions to seek professional help diminished after controlling for confounding variables. Increased suicide normalisation was linked to reduced intentions to seek help from professionals or family and friends, as well as higher odds to experience current suicidality, even after controlling for confounding variables. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that interventions to reduce public suicide stigma are at risk to unintentionally increase suicide normalisation, which appears to be a key barrier to seeking help for suicidality. Future research should therefore identify strategies to improve attitudes towards persons affected by suicidality that avoid normalisation, i.e. do not convey the message of suicide as an acceptable solution for difficult life situations. One strategy with great potential to safely reduce public suicide sigma could be interventions that stimulate interpersonal contact with affected persons sharing their recovery story.
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4
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Kwan C, Wong C, Chen Z, Yip PSF. Youth Bullying and Suicide: Risk and Protective Factor Profiles for Bullies, Victims, Bully-Victims and the Uninvolved. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19052828. [PMID: 35270521 PMCID: PMC8910292 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19052828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Bullying is closely associated with suicide. This study validates mixed evidence on whether young bullies, victims, bully-victims, and those uninvolved in bullying differ in suicidality, risk, protective factor profiles, and predictors of suicide. A total of 2004 Hong Kong adolescents and young adults completed the Hong Kong Online Survey on Youth Mental Health and Internet Usage in 2018. Bullies, victims, and bully victims, as opposed to the uninvolved, were found to possess higher tendencies of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. They had more distinct rather than overlapping risk and protective factor profiles yet shared psychological distress and diagnosis of a psychiatric disorder as common predictors of suicide. The results indicate that suicide screening assessments and training to detect common suicide predictors can benefit youngsters regardless of their bullying involvement. From the discussion, group-specific interventions include restorative justice approaches to promote reintegration and help-seeking among bullies, peer, and professional support programs geared towards lowering victim isolation and equipping gatekeepers such as teachers with skills to connect with both bullies and victims.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ching Kwan
- HKJC Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention, Hong Kong 999077, China; (C.K.); (C.W.)
| | - Clifford Wong
- HKJC Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention, Hong Kong 999077, China; (C.K.); (C.W.)
| | - Zhansheng Chen
- Department of Psychology, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China;
| | - Paul S. F. Yip
- HKJC Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention, Hong Kong 999077, China; (C.K.); (C.W.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +852-2831-5232
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5
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Braun M, Till B, Pirkis J, Niederkrotenthaler T. Effects of suicide prevention videos developed by and targeting adolescents: a randomized controlled trial. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2021; 32:847-857. [PMID: 34817663 PMCID: PMC8611173 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-021-01911-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Suicide prevention videos featuring young people's personal narratives of hope and recovery are increasingly used in suicide prevention, but research on their effects is scarce. A double-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted to test the effects of a suicide prevention video featuring an adolescent mastering his suicidal ideation by getting help on 14 to 19-year-olds. N = 299 adolescents were randomly allocated to watch the intervention video (n = 148) or a control video unrelated to mental health (n = 151). Questionnaire data were collected before (T1) and immediately after exposure (T2), and 4 weeks later (T3). Data were analyzed with a repeated-measures ANCOVA. The primary outcome was suicidal ideation, assessed with the Reasons for Living Inventory for Adolescents. Secondary outcomes were help-seeking intentions, attitudes towards suicide, stigmatization of suicidality, and mood. There was an immediate beneficial effect of the intervention on suicidal ideation (T2 mean change from baseline within intervention group MChange = - 0.16 [95% CI - 0.20 to - 0.12], mean difference compared to control group MDiff = - 0.09 [95% CI - 0.15 to - 0.03], ηp2 = 0.03), which was not maintained at T3. Participants reported significantly higher help-seeking intentions, which was maintained at 4-week follow-up. They also reported a sustained reduction of favorable attitudes to suicide. Effects on suicidal ideation were mediated by identification with the featured protagonist. Adolescents appear to benefit from suicide prevention narratives featuring personal stories from peers on coping with suicidal ideation and help-seeking.Trial registration DRKS00017405; 24/09/19; retrospectively registered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlies Braun
- Unit Suicide Research & Mental Health Promotion, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Kinderspitalgasse 15, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Benedikt Till
- Unit Suicide Research & Mental Health Promotion, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Kinderspitalgasse 15, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Jane Pirkis
- Centre for Mental Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Thomas Niederkrotenthaler
- Unit Suicide Research & Mental Health Promotion, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Kinderspitalgasse 15, 1090 Vienna, Austria
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6
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Garcia-Fernández D, Fernández-Salinero S, Giorgi G, Topa G, Marcos Del Cano AM. The Impact of Suicide Utility Perception on News over Terminally Ill Patients' Suicide Attitudes: A Pilot Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18168784. [PMID: 34444533 PMCID: PMC8394576 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18168784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Revised: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Suicide represents a very important issue in public health. For approaching attitudes toward suicide, we have developed an instrument that, following previous recommendations, assesses specific thoughts related to the perception of suicide utility in the press. First of all, we will test the psychometric properties of the scale we created ad hoc for assessing suicide utility perception. After that, we expect to find that the suicide utility perception in the press will have a statistically significant impact on positive attitudes toward terminally ill patients' suicide (Hypothesis 1). In addition, this relationship will be mediated by suicide legitimation (Hypothesis 2). This mediation will be moderated by depressive symptomatology (Hypothesis 3). The sample was composed of 66 Spanish participants. Suicide legitimation was significantly related to the positive evaluation of terminally ill people's euthanasia. Finally, when the levels of depression's psychological concomitants increased, the support for terminally ill people's euthanasia increased as well. Implications and limitations have been discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Garcia-Fernández
- International School of Doctorate, The National Distance University (UNED), 28040 Madrid, Spain;
| | | | - Gabriele Giorgi
- Department of Human Science, European University of Rome, 00163 Rome, Italy;
| | - Gabriela Topa
- Social and Organizational Psychology Department, The National Distance University (UNED), 28040 Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence:
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7
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Curley JM, Duffy FF, Kim PY, Clarke-Walper KM, Nugent KL, Penix EA, Elliman TD, Wilk JE, Riviere LA. Methodology of the U.S. Army's Suicide Prevention Leadership Tool Study: The Behavioral Health Readiness and Suicide Risk Reduction Review (R4). Mil Med 2021; 186:336-343. [PMID: 33219666 DOI: 10.1093/milmed/usaa503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The Secretary of the U.S. Army issued two directives in late 2017 to directly combat the problem of suicide in the U.S. Army. The first was to develop an Army tool to assist commanders and first-line leaders in preventing suicide and improving behavioral health (BH) outcomes, which has been previously published as the BH Readiness and Risk Reduction Review (R4). The second was to conduct an evaluation study of the tool with Army units in the field. This study is the first to empirically examine the Army's tool-based methods for identifying and caring for the health and welfare of soldiers at risk for suicide, and this article outlines the methodology employed to study the effectiveness of the R4 tools and accomplish the Secretary's second directive. METHODS The Walter Reed Army Institute of Research Institutional Review Board approved the R4 study. The study employed a repeated measurements in pre/post quasi-experimental design, including a nonequivalent but comparable business-as-usual control group. The R4 intervention consisted of the R4 tools, accompanying instructions, and an orientation. Samples were drawn from two geographically separated U.S. Army divisions in the continental United States, each composed of four comparable brigades. Study implementation consisted of three phases and three data collections over the course of 12 months. Soldiers completed anonymous survey instruments to assess a range of health factors, behaviors, characteristics, tool-related decision-making processes, and the frequency, type, and quality of interactions between soldiers and leaders. RESULTS The R4 study commenced on May 6, 2019, and concluded on June 4, 2020. Sample size goals were achieved for both the divisions at all three data collection time points. CONCLUSIONS The methodology of the R4 study is critical for the U.S. Army from both a precedential and an outcome-based standpoint. Despite the use of many previous tools and programs for suicide prevention, this is the first time the Army has been able to empirically test the effectiveness of tool-supported decision-making among Army units in a rigorous fashion. The methodology of such a test is a critical marker for future interventional inquiries on the subject of suicide in the Army, and the results will allow for more informed decision-making by leaders when approaching these ongoing challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin M Curley
- Department of the Army, Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of the Army, Arlington, VA 22202, USA.,Department of Military Psychiatry, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Farifteh F Duffy
- Department of Military Psychiatry, TechWerks, Arlington, VA 22201, USA
| | - Paul Y Kim
- Department of Military Psychiatry, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Kristina M Clarke-Walper
- Department of Military Psychiatry, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Katie L Nugent
- Department of Military Psychiatry, TechWerks, Arlington, VA 22201, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Penix
- Department of Military Psychiatry, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Toby D Elliman
- Department of Military Psychiatry, TechWerks, Arlington, VA 22201, USA
| | - Joshua E Wilk
- Department of Military Psychiatry, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Lyndon A Riviere
- Department of Military Psychiatry, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
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8
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Ramberg IL, Hökby S, Karlsson L, Hadlaczky G. Measuring Attitudes toward Suicide Prevention among Occupational Staff Frequently Exposed to Suicidal Individuals: Psychometric Evaluation and Validation. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18084001. [PMID: 33920287 PMCID: PMC8070568 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18084001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Revised: 04/04/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
As the attitudes of healthcare staff are thought to influence the quality and effectiveness of interventions targeting patients’ suicide risk, attitudes are often used as an outcome in the evaluation of suicide-preventive training. Due to various problems related to the validity and reliability of commonly used scales, there is a lack of overall agreement on how to measure these attitudes. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to cross-validate previously used models and to investigate new models to measure professionals’ attitudes toward work with suicidal individuals and to test the longitudinal stability of the models by analyzing new sets of data. The population in the first study consisted of a heterogenous group of 1350 professionals who managed suicidal individuals relatively frequently. The second study included 640 professionals. The results of the cross-validation of previous models were described and a new questionnaire measuring attitudes toward suicide prevention, suicidal individuals, and organizational-facilitated self-efficacy (OSAQ-12) was presented. The three presented models retained a good fit and were stable over time. Valid and reliable measurement models that measure aspects of attitudes toward suicide are a prerequisite for conducting both cross-sectional and intervention studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inga-Lill Ramberg
- National Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention, Department of Learning, Informatics, Management and Ethics, Karolinska Institute, 17177 Solna, Sweden; (S.H.); (L.K.); (G.H.)
- National Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention, Centre for Health Economics, Informatics and Health Services Research, Stockholm Health Care Services, Karolinska Institute, 17177 Solna, Sweden
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +46-702-983-111
| | - Sebastian Hökby
- National Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention, Department of Learning, Informatics, Management and Ethics, Karolinska Institute, 17177 Solna, Sweden; (S.H.); (L.K.); (G.H.)
- National Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention, Centre for Health Economics, Informatics and Health Services Research, Stockholm Health Care Services, Karolinska Institute, 17177 Solna, Sweden
| | - Linda Karlsson
- National Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention, Department of Learning, Informatics, Management and Ethics, Karolinska Institute, 17177 Solna, Sweden; (S.H.); (L.K.); (G.H.)
- National Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention, Centre for Health Economics, Informatics and Health Services Research, Stockholm Health Care Services, Karolinska Institute, 17177 Solna, Sweden
| | - Gergö Hadlaczky
- National Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention, Department of Learning, Informatics, Management and Ethics, Karolinska Institute, 17177 Solna, Sweden; (S.H.); (L.K.); (G.H.)
- National Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention, Centre for Health Economics, Informatics and Health Services Research, Stockholm Health Care Services, Karolinska Institute, 17177 Solna, Sweden
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9
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Male depression risk, psychological distress, and psychotherapy uptake: Validation of the German version of the male depression risk scale. JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS REPORTS 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jadr.2021.100107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
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10
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Wu Y, Chen Z, Batterham PJ, Han J. Perceived Suicide Stigma and Associated Factors in Chinese College Students: Translation and Validation of the Stigma of Suicide Attempt Scale and the Stigma of Suicide and Suicide Survivors Scale. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18073400. [PMID: 33805972 PMCID: PMC8036857 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18073400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 03/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
This study aims to translate and validate two perceived suicide stigma scales, including the Stigma of Suicide Attempt Scale (STOSA) and the Stigma of Suicide and Suicide Survivor Scale (STOSASS) into Chinese language, examining the factor structure, and assessing the correlation between suicide stigma and a series of variables. After translating and back translating the STOSA and STOSASS, an online survey was administrated to 412 college students in China. These two scales were tested for their dimensionality in a series of confirmatory factor analyses. A series of regression analyses were conducted to examine the factors that are associated with perceived and public suicide stigma, including demographics, psychological distress, suicidality, suicide exposure, and perceived entitativity of suicide ideators, decedents, and survivors. The results showed that the two translated scales, STOSA and STOSASS, were reliable (Cronbach’s α = 0.79~0.83) and valid in Chinese contexts and it can be treated as unidimensional scales. Suicidality, exposure to suicide, and perceived entitativity of suicide-related persons were significantly associated with higher endorsement of public suicide stigma (SOSS Stigma, p < 0.03), but not perceived stigma (STOSA, STOSASS). Higher levels of psychological distress were associated with both higher perceived and public suicide stigma (p < 0.05).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Wu
- School of Marxism, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
- Research Center for Educational Neuroscience, School of Educational Science, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
- Research Center for Social Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
- Correspondence: (Y.W.); (J.H.)
| | - Zhenzhen Chen
- College of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China;
| | - Philip J. Batterham
- Centre for Mental Health Research, The Australian National University, Canberra 2601, Australia;
| | - Jin Han
- Black Dog Institute, The University of New South Wales, Sydney 2031, Australia
- Correspondence: (Y.W.); (J.H.)
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11
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Stecz P, Gmitrowicz A, Nowakowska-Domagała K. Psychometric Properties of the Suicide Acceptance Questionnaire. Community Ment Health J 2020; 56:506-512. [PMID: 31758286 DOI: 10.1007/s10597-019-00507-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/16/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Only a few questionnaires are available for measuring attitude towards suicide as a unidimensional construct, i.e. emphasizing acceptance or disapproval of the suicidal act under a set of difficult life circumstances. The aim of this study was to develop the Suicide Acceptance Questionnaire (SAQ) and examine its psychometric properties. A group of 177 Psychology, Medicine and Law students completed the SAQ, Attitudes Towards Suicide questionnaire and a demographic survey. Exploratory factor analysis found the SAQ to have a single factor structure, explaining 55.49% of variance, with high goodness of fit. Owing to the nature of explicit attitudes, the SAQ may have limited power in predicting behavior. The findings indicate that the SAQ demonstrates appropriate reliability and concurrent validity for measuring the acceptance of suicide act. Future research with use of confirmatory factor analysis is needed for determining whether the proposed construct fits data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patryk Stecz
- Department of Preventive and Addiction Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Lodz, ul. Smugowa 10/12, 91-433, Lodz, Poland.
| | - Agnieszka Gmitrowicz
- Department of Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Lodz, ul. Czechosłowacka 8/10, 90-001, Lodz, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Nowakowska-Domagała
- Department of Preventive and Addiction Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Lodz, ul. Smugowa 10/12, 91-433, Lodz, Poland
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12
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Zhong BL, Chan SSM, Liu TB, Chiu HFK. Nonfatal Suicidal Behaviors of Chinese Rural-to-Urban Migrant Workers: Attitude Toward Suicide Matters. Suicide Life Threat Behav 2019; 49:1199-1208. [PMID: 30315652 DOI: 10.1111/sltb.12519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2018] [Accepted: 07/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine the attitude toward suicide (ATS) and its influence on nonfatal suicidal behaviors of Chinese rural-to-urban migrant workers (MWs). METHOD Altogether, 3031 MWs completed the positive ATS Scale and structured questions regarding lifetime suicide ideation, plan, and attempt. Mental health help-seeking behaviors of MWs were also investigated. RESULTS Overall, MWs held a more negative ATS than the Chinese general population. The lifetime prevalence of suicide ideation, plan, and attempt was 5.5%, 1.3%, and 1.1%, respectively. After controlling for lifetime depressive disorders and other covariates, a negative ATS was still significantly associated with lower risk of lifetime suicide ideation (OR = 0.32), plan (OR = 0.22), and attempt (OR = 0.26). MWs with a negative ATS were more likely to talk to others and seek help by online/telephone consultation for their mental health and suicidal problems (p < .05). A more positive ATS was significantly associated with male gender, low education level, ethnic minority of Miao, low monthly income, and originating from western China. CONCLUSIONS The majority of MWs hold a negative ATS, which significantly contributes to their relatively low risk of nonfatal suicidal behaviors. The more help-seeking from others and online/telephone consultation in MWs with a negative ATS may lower their risk of nonfatal suicidal behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bao-Liang Zhong
- Research Center for Psychological and Health Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China.,Affiliated Wuhan Mental Health Center, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan, China.,Department of Psychiatry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Sandra Sau Man Chan
- Department of Psychiatry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Tie-Bang Liu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Psychological Healthcare, Shenzhen Institute of Mental Health, Shenzhen Kangning Hospital, Shenzhen Mental Health Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Helen Fung-Kum Chiu
- Department of Psychiatry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
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13
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Nathan NA, Nathan KI. Suicide, Stigma, and Utilizing Social Media Platforms to Gauge Public Perceptions. Front Psychiatry 2019; 10:947. [PMID: 31998162 PMCID: PMC6970412 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2019] [Accepted: 11/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Suicide, a multifaceted complex outcome that arises from numerous biopsychosocial factors, is a public health concern which is growing in numbers despite valiant prevention efforts. There is still a lot of stigma surrounding suicide that needs to be addressed. Social media is growing exponentially and there are many forums where suicidality is being discussed. As a result, we conducted a brief survey on the perception of suicide on social media platforms of Facebook and Reddit in order to gather more information. Results: Of the 152 respondents, 86% believed that suicide is preventable, and 72.85% believed that it is a person's right to die by suicide. About a third (31.79%) had lost someone close to them to suicide. Respondents who did not think suicide was preventable also viewed suicide as either a sign of strength (42.86%) or a revenge act (33.3%). Those who responded that someone close to them died by suicide believed that the media glorified suicide (56.25%) while those who did not lose someone, did not believe that (66.99%). Women (61%) found social media to be a good platform for people to ask for help while men did not (60.61%). Conclusions: We utilized the social media platforms to gauge the perception of suicide and found among the sample of mostly young white respondents, suicide is not stigmatized, most believed it is preventable and it is a person's right to die by suicide. While women found social media to be a good platform to ask for support, men did not, which is in keeping with the trend that women tend to be more willing to seek help. A third of the group had lost someone close to them to suicide which was the national average, who tended to believe that media glorified suicide. Limitations of this study include the fact that those who respond voluntarily to a survey likely have an interest in the topic, and this might not accurately reflect the public opinion and attitude.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nila A Nathan
- Independent Researcher, Mountain View, CA, United States
| | - Kalpana I Nathan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States.,Department of Psychiatry, Palo Alto Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, United States
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14
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L Williams C, Cero I, Gauthier JM, K Witte T. Examination of the latent factor structure and construct validity of the stigma of suicide scale-short form. DEATH STUDIES 2018; 42:616-626. [PMID: 29364787 DOI: 10.1080/07481187.2017.1416431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
A major limitation of research on attitudes toward suicide is that most measures lack evidence of a stable factor structure. To investigate the structure of recently developed stigma of suicide scale-short form (SOSS-SF), we conducted an exploratory factor analysis in a sample of 499 undergraduates. Results revealed a three-factor structure: Stigma, Isolation/Depression, and Glorification/Normalization. We also identified good convergent and discriminant validity between the SOSS-SF and related constructs. In a separate sample of 570 undergraduates, a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) demonstrated adequate fit for the three-factor model. In addition, a multiple-group CFA demonstrated invariance across gender.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ian Cero
- a Department of Psychology , Auburn University , Auburn , AL , USA
| | - Jami M Gauthier
- b Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior , University of Mississippi Medical Center , Jackson , United States
| | - Tracy K Witte
- a Department of Psychology , Auburn University , Auburn , AL , USA
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15
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Mitchell SM, Brown SL, Roush JF, Bolaños AD, Littlefield AK, Marshall AJ, Jahn DR, Morgan RD, Cukrowicz KC. The clinical application of suicide risk assessment: A theory-driven approach. Clin Psychol Psychother 2017; 24:1406-1420. [PMID: 28421644 DOI: 10.1002/cpp.2086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2016] [Revised: 02/08/2017] [Accepted: 03/15/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The interpersonal theory of suicide posits that thwarted belongingness (TB) and perceived burdensomeness (PB) increase suicide ideation; however, studies have found mixed results regarding this hypothesis among psychiatric inpatients. This study aimed to (a) demonstrate how assessing TB and PB using the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire (INQ) can provide clinically useful information and (b) investigate how statistical methodology may impact the clinical application of the INQ. Participants were 139 (Sample 1) and 104 (Sample 2) psychiatric inpatients. In both samples, ordinal logistic regression results indicated TB and PB, separately, were significant predictors of suicide ideation-related outcomes; however, when examined as simultaneous predictors, TB was no longer a significant predictor. The interaction between TB and PB was not significant for either sample. Despite this, TB and PB scores provided clinically relevant information about suicide ideation-related outcomes. For example, the highest scores on TB and PB indicated a 93% and 95% chance of having some level of distress due to suicide ideation (Sample 1), a 91% and 92% chance of having some level of desire for death, and a 79% and 84% chance of having some level of desire for suicide, respectively (Sample 2). This study also proposes clinical cutoff scores for the INQ (for TB and PB, respectively, cutoff scores were 22 and 17 for distress due to suicide ideation, 33 and 17 for desire for death, and 31 and 22 for desire for suicide). Although these results indicate that multicollinearity between TB and PB may create interpretational ambiguity for clinicians, TB and PB may each be useful separate predictors of suicide ideation-related outcomes in psychiatric inpatient settings and should be incorporated into suicide risk assessment. KEY PRACTITIONER MESSAGE The 15-item Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire (an assessment of thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness) should be incorporated into suicide risk assessment. Among psychiatric inpatients, greater thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness, as separate predictors, were associated with increased levels of distress due to suicide ideation, desire for death, and desire for suicide. The highest scores on thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness indicated a 79% to 95% chance of experiencing an elevated level of distress due to suicide ideation, desire for death, or desire for suicide. Recommended clinical cutoff scores were provided. For example, thwarted belongingness cutoff score of 31 and perceived burdensomeness cutoff score of 22 maximized the sensitivity and specificity of the INQ to detect some level of desire for suicide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean M Mitchell
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Sarah L Brown
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Jared F Roush
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Angelea D Bolaños
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | | | - Andrew J Marshall
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | | | - Robert D Morgan
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Kelly C Cukrowicz
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
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