A Psychometric Pilot Study Examining the Functions of Suicidal Communications Using IRT and Factor Analysis

Kaitlyn R. Schuler (), Margaret M. Baer, Ryon C. McDermott and Phillip N. Smith
Additional contact information
Kaitlyn R. Schuler: Department of Psychology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL 36608, USA
Margaret M. Baer: Department of Psychology, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606, USA
Ryon C. McDermott: Department of Psychology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL 36608, USA
Phillip N. Smith: Department of Psychology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL 36608, USA

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 16, 1-18

Abstract: Background: Suicide prevention, an important public health issue, relies on suicidal communications to identify and intervene with those at risk. Scant research tests explicit theories of suicidal communication impeding applications to prevention science. The current study pilots a new measure assessing the functions of suicidal communications using factor analysis and item response theory. Methods: MTurk workers ( n = 898) completed an anonymous survey. The original scale included 35 items refined using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, bifactor modeling, and item response theory. Results: The initial EFA identified a two-correlated-factor solution. The two-correlated-factor and unidimensional models yielded a poor fit. A bifactor model yielded a borderline to acceptable fit. The final four items were identified using a bifactor model and item response theory graded response models capturing ambivalence resolution defined as behaviors aimed to aid in suicide decision making. The final model yielded an excellent fit: 𝝌 2 (2) = 1.81, CFI (1.00), TLI (1.00), RMSEA (0.00), and SRMR (0.01). Conclusions: There may be one function of suicidal communications. Disclosure may elicit connection and reasons for living that serve as barriers to suicide and resolve ambivalence. Key limitations include convenience sampling and limited validity measures. Future research should partner with participants to improve scale and theory development efforts.

Keywords: suicidal communications; suicide disclosure; ambivalence; functions; motivations (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/16/10081/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/16/10081/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:16:p:10081-:d:888675

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().