The Interpersonal–Psychological Theory of Suicide in Medical Students: Comparisons of Individuals without Suicidality, Ideators, and Planners

Alice Solibieda, Marianne Rotsaert and Gwenolé Loas
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Alice Solibieda: Department of Psychiatry & Laboratory of Psychiatric Research (ULB 266), Cliniques Universitaires de Bruxelles, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), 1070 Bruxelles, Belgium
Marianne Rotsaert: Department of Psychology & Laboratory of Psychiatric Research (ULB 266), Department of Psychiatry, Cliniques Universitaires de Bruxelles, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), 1070 Bruxelles, Belgium
Gwenolé Loas: Department of Psychiatry & Laboratory of Psychiatric Research (ULB 266), Cliniques Universitaires de Bruxelles, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), 1070 Bruxelles, Belgium

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 21, 1-7

Abstract: The aim of this study was to explore the interpersonal–psychological theory of suicide (IPTS) in medical students. Higher levels of thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness were expected in medical students with suicidality compared with medical students without suicidality, and a high level of acquired capability was expected in planners compared with ideators. Recruited for the study were 178 undergraduate medical students at the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB): 95 subjects without suicidality, 24 subjects with lifetime suicidality, 28 subjects with recent suicidal ideation, and 26 planners. An ad hoc questionnaire evaluated the risk of suicide as well as the “Suicidal thoughts and wishes” item of the BDI-II. The Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire (INS) measured thwarted belongingness (TB) and perceived burdensomeness (PB). The Acquired Capability for Suicide Scale (ACSS) measured notably fearlessness of death or pain tolerance and depression was rated using the revised version of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Cognitive–affective symptoms of depression (CA-BDI) were assessed using six items of the BDI. Analyses of variance showed significant differences between groups for TB and PB but not for ACSS. Analyses of covariance, controlling for the CA-BDI scores, confirmed the significance of differences in TB and PB. Post hoc tests showed that (1) high levels of TB were characteristic of subjects with recent suicidal ideation and planners compared with subjects without suicidality; and (2) high levels of PB were characteristic of planners compared with the three other groups. Among the three characteristics of the IPTS, PB could be a strong predictor of severe suicide risk in medical students.

Keywords: interpersonal theory on suicide; perceived burdensomeness; thwarted belongingness (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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