Suicidal imagery, history of suicidality, and acquired capability in young adults
| Published date | 13 July 2015 |
| Pages | 127-138 |
| Date | 13 July 2015 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JACPR-10-2014-0146 |
| Author | Tara C Holaday,Amy M Brausch |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Criminology & forensic psychology,Aggression, conflict & peace |
Suicidal imagery, history of suicidality,
and acquired capability in young adults
Tara C. Holaday and Amy M. Brausch
Tara C. Holaday is based at the
Department of Psychology,
Western Kentucky University,
Bowling Green,Kentucky, USA.
Dr Amy M. Brausch is Assistant
Professor at the Department
of Psychological Sciences,
Western Kentucky University,
Bowling Green,Kentucky, USA.
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of suicide-related mental imagery in suicidal
behavior. It was hypothesized that greater frequency and vividness of suicide-related imagery would be
associated with more suicidal behaviors, and acquired capability for suicide was expected to mediate this
relationship. Hypotheses were tested by surveying 237 undergraduate students (59 percent female; mean
age¼20) who completed self-report measures that assessed suicidal cognitions, acquired capability for
suicide, and history of self-harm behaviors.
Design/methodology/approach –Hypotheses were tested by surveying 237 undergraduate students
(59 percent female; mean age ¼20) who completed self-report measures that assessed suicidal cognitions,
acquired capability for suicide, and history of self-harm behaviors.
Findings –Results suggested that frequency and vividness of suicide-related imagery were positively
correlated with suicidality. Acquired capability was not related to study variables; thus additional mediational
analysis was unwarranted.
Originality/value –Few studies have examined suicidal imagery and how it relates to actual self-harm
behavior. The current study provides an exploratory view of features of imagery related to suicidal thoughts;
findings imply that understanding mental imagery may play an important role in clinical risk assessmentand
treatment for suicidality.
Keywords Adults,Suicide, Acquired capability, Mental imagery, Self-harm behaviour, Self-injuriousbehaviour
Paper type Research paper
Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the USA and much of the industrialized world.
Every day about 110 people in the USA alone take their own lives (Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC), 2012). This translates to over 40,000 people per year. Although this
number represents only 0.01 percent of the American population (CDC, 2012), suicidal thoughts
and attempts occur with a much greater frequency. The results of nationally representative
studies suggest that 3.3 percent of American adults seriously consider suicide each year, while
1.0 percent of the population will develop a plan for suicide, and 0.6 percent will attempt suicide
(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011; Goldsmith et al., 2002; Kessler et al., 2005).
Consequently, a large body of research has been aimed at determining indicators of suicidal risk.
The list of empirically demonstrated risk factors of suicide is extensive: age, gender, mental disorder,
unemployment, physical illness, previous suicide attempts, family conflict, seasonal variation,
hopelessness, homelessness, impulsivity, incarceration, combat exposure, and childhood abuse
(Van Orden etal., 2010). Nevertheless, there are only a few theoretical models that seek to explain
why and how these particular factors confer an increased risk for suicide (Prinstein, 2008).
The interpersonal-psychological theory of suicide and acquired capability for suicide
The interpersonal theory of suicidal behavior (IPTSB) (Joiner, 2005; Van Orden et al., 2008, 2010)
is the first model that attempts to explain why only a very small fraction of severely depressed
Received 30 October 2014
Revised 2 February 2015
Accepted 4 February 2015
DOI 10.1108/JACPR-10-2014-0146 VOL. 7 NO. 3 2015, pp. 127-138, © Emerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 1759-6599
j
JOURNAL OF AGGRESSION, CONFLICT AND PE ACE RESEARCH
j
PAG E 12 7
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