Research paper
Variability in suicidal ideation: A better predictor of suicide attempts than intensity or duration of ideation?

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Abstract

Background

Much of the suicidology literature focuses on establishing contextual risk factors for suicidal behavior. However, the study of the parameters of suicidal behavior (e.g., intensity, duration, and variability) has been somewhat neglected [Joiner, T., Rudd, M.D., 2000. Intensity and duration of suicidal crises vary as a function of previous suicide attempts and negative life events. J. Consult. Clin. Psychol. 68, 909–916]. Having previously established a relationship between variability in suicidal ideation and a previous history of suicide attempts [Witte, T.K., Fitzpatrick, K.K., Warren, K.L, Schatschneider, C., Schmidt, N.B., submitted for publication. Naturalistic Evaluation of Suicidal Ideation: Variability and Relation to Attempt Status], we felt it important to assess the liability conferred by a variable pattern of ideation compared to the intensity and duration of suicidal thoughts. We also examined if there was an interaction between gender and the parameters of intensity, duration, and variability.

Method

One hundred eight participants (54 non-attempters, 35 single attempters, and 19 multiple attempters) completed the Suicide Probability Scale every day for 4 weeks, allowing us to measure the parameters of interest. These variables were entered into a regression model as predictors of previous suicide attempts.

Results

Consistent with prediction, high variability of ideation was the only significant predictor of previous attempt status. In addition, an interaction between gender and variability in suicidal ideation suggested that variability appeared more critical in predicting previous attempts for males.

Limitations

The limited number of multiple attempters in our sample and the use of college students limit the current study.

Conclusions

Variability appears to be the most potent predictor of attempt status among the parameters of suicidal ideation examined in the current study. This relationship appears to be particularly important in males, suggesting that fluctuating levels of suicidal ideation may confer future risk for suicide.

Section snippets

Participants

Participants (60% female; mean age = 19.3, SD = 3.06) were selected from introductory psychology classes and received course credit for their participation. Individuals were selected for participation following a screening with the Beck Suicide Scale (BSS; Beck and Steer, 1993), which includes an item assessing past suicide attempts. Participant selection occurred in two waves. In the first wave, all participants who responded to screening criteria were enrolled, regardless of attempt history. The

Discussion

We demonstrated that variability is an important parameter of suicidal ideation, and it provides better predictive power in terms of previous attempt status relative to that provided by intensity or duration. Perhaps this is because variability contains aspects of both intensity and duration in addition to some other component, which is likely to be mood lability.

Crucially, however, the relation between attempt status and variability in suicidal ideation appears to be more important for male

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