Impairment in personality functioning predicts young adult suicidal ideation and suicide attempt above and beyond depressive symptoms
Interpersonal factors and depression are believed to be some of the main drivers of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, but other factors may be equally or more important. Drawing on psychodynamic (mentalization) theory, we propose that personality functioning, in particular an incoherent sense of sel...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
PAGEPress Publications
2025-02-01
|
| Series: | Research in Psychotherapy |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.researchinpsychotherapy.org/rpsy/article/view/814 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832542505353084928 |
|---|---|
| author | Kiran Boone Kennedy M. Balzen Carla Sharp |
| author_facet | Kiran Boone Kennedy M. Balzen Carla Sharp |
| author_sort | Kiran Boone |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Interpersonal factors and depression are believed to be some of the main drivers of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, but other factors may be equally or more important. Drawing on psychodynamic (mentalization) theory, we propose that personality functioning, in particular an incoherent sense of self, may be an important driver of suicidal thoughts and behaviors over and above factors of interpersonal functioning and depression. To evaluate this, we examined associations between personality functioning and suicidal ideation and suicide attempt in young adults. Participants (N=153; Mage=20.93) were recruited from a college sample (N=90) and a clinical sample with borderline personality disorder (N=63). Personality functioning (self and interpersonal components) was measured with the Level of Personality Functioning Scale - Brief Form 2.0. Suicidal ideation was measured with the Personality Assessment Inventory. Suicide attempt history was assessed with the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale. Depression symptoms were measured with the Symptom Checklist 90. Regressions examined relationships between personality functioning, depression symptoms, and suicidal ideation or attempt while controlling for age and gender. Overall personality functioning was significantly associated with suicidal ideation (β=.584, p<.001) and suicide attempt (β=.384, p<.001). Overall personality functioning was a stronger predictor than depression symptoms, age, and gender when included in the same model predicting suicidal ideation or attempt. Both the self and interpersonal components of personality functioning were significantly associated with suicidal ideation and attempt, with larger effect sizes for self-functioning. Findings underscore the importance of considering personality functioning, especially self-functioning, in suicide risk assessment and treatment.
|
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3c5d942b6fae494aa92924bd11486a6c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2499-7552 2239-8031 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | PAGEPress Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Research in Psychotherapy |
| spelling | doaj-art-3c5d942b6fae494aa92924bd11486a6c2025-02-04T02:43:55ZengPAGEPress PublicationsResearch in Psychotherapy2499-75522239-80312025-02-0127310.4081/ripppo.2024.814Impairment in personality functioning predicts young adult suicidal ideation and suicide attempt above and beyond depressive symptomsKiran Boone0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6115-9168Kennedy M. Balzen1Carla Sharp2Department of Psychology, University of Houston, TexasDepartment of Psychology, University of Houston, TexasDepartment of Psychology, University of Houston, Texas Interpersonal factors and depression are believed to be some of the main drivers of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, but other factors may be equally or more important. Drawing on psychodynamic (mentalization) theory, we propose that personality functioning, in particular an incoherent sense of self, may be an important driver of suicidal thoughts and behaviors over and above factors of interpersonal functioning and depression. To evaluate this, we examined associations between personality functioning and suicidal ideation and suicide attempt in young adults. Participants (N=153; Mage=20.93) were recruited from a college sample (N=90) and a clinical sample with borderline personality disorder (N=63). Personality functioning (self and interpersonal components) was measured with the Level of Personality Functioning Scale - Brief Form 2.0. Suicidal ideation was measured with the Personality Assessment Inventory. Suicide attempt history was assessed with the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale. Depression symptoms were measured with the Symptom Checklist 90. Regressions examined relationships between personality functioning, depression symptoms, and suicidal ideation or attempt while controlling for age and gender. Overall personality functioning was significantly associated with suicidal ideation (β=.584, p<.001) and suicide attempt (β=.384, p<.001). Overall personality functioning was a stronger predictor than depression symptoms, age, and gender when included in the same model predicting suicidal ideation or attempt. Both the self and interpersonal components of personality functioning were significantly associated with suicidal ideation and attempt, with larger effect sizes for self-functioning. Findings underscore the importance of considering personality functioning, especially self-functioning, in suicide risk assessment and treatment. https://www.researchinpsychotherapy.org/rpsy/article/view/814Suicidelevel of personality functioningborderline personality disorderidentity disturbancedepression |
| spellingShingle | Kiran Boone Kennedy M. Balzen Carla Sharp Impairment in personality functioning predicts young adult suicidal ideation and suicide attempt above and beyond depressive symptoms Research in Psychotherapy Suicide level of personality functioning borderline personality disorder identity disturbance depression |
| title | Impairment in personality functioning predicts young adult suicidal ideation and suicide attempt above and beyond depressive symptoms |
| title_full | Impairment in personality functioning predicts young adult suicidal ideation and suicide attempt above and beyond depressive symptoms |
| title_fullStr | Impairment in personality functioning predicts young adult suicidal ideation and suicide attempt above and beyond depressive symptoms |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impairment in personality functioning predicts young adult suicidal ideation and suicide attempt above and beyond depressive symptoms |
| title_short | Impairment in personality functioning predicts young adult suicidal ideation and suicide attempt above and beyond depressive symptoms |
| title_sort | impairment in personality functioning predicts young adult suicidal ideation and suicide attempt above and beyond depressive symptoms |
| topic | Suicide level of personality functioning borderline personality disorder identity disturbance depression |
| url | https://www.researchinpsychotherapy.org/rpsy/article/view/814 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kiranboone impairmentinpersonalityfunctioningpredictsyoungadultsuicidalideationandsuicideattemptaboveandbeyonddepressivesymptoms AT kennedymbalzen impairmentinpersonalityfunctioningpredictsyoungadultsuicidalideationandsuicideattemptaboveandbeyonddepressivesymptoms AT carlasharp impairmentinpersonalityfunctioningpredictsyoungadultsuicidalideationandsuicideattemptaboveandbeyonddepressivesymptoms |