Background: Bereavement is associated with impaired mental health, increases in adverse health behaviors, and heightened risk of suicidal ideation, attempts, and death by suicide. The purpose of this literature review was to explore associations between cause of death and suicidal thoughts among bereaved individuals. Our aim was to compare incidence of suicidal ideation by cause of death and identify gaps in this literature to guide future research and clinical intervention. Methods: PRISMA-P guidelines were used to structure an electronic literature search in the PsycINFO, MEDLINE, and Web of Science databases. The search focused on English language studies that were published before February 2019 and sought to compare rates of suicidal ideation among bereaved people who lost a loved one to suicide, accidental overdose, cancer, dementia, cardiovascular disease, and HIV/AIDs. Results: Nine articles were identified with suicide as cause of death, zero articles for accidental overdose, zero articles for cardiovascular disease, seven articles for cancer, one article for dementia, and one article for HIV/AIDs. Given the limited number of articles generated by our search, a formal meta-analysis was not appropriate. However, a comparison of results did suggest that suicide bereavement was associated with the highest rates of suicide ideation (14.1% to 49%). Stigma, isolation, avoidance behaviors, and psychological distress were associated with suicidal thoughts among bereaved individuals, regardless of the deceased’s cause of death. Conclusions: Findings of this literature search revealed significant gaps in the literature, especially regarding thoughts of suicide in bereaved survivors of accidental overdose and cardiovascular disease. Results suggest that multiple causes of death are associated with suicidal ideation in bereavement, but that suicide bereavement may be the cause of death associated with the highest risk of suicidal ideation. More research is needed to understand the ways in which cause of death influences prevalence, risk, and protective factors associated with suicidal thoughts among bereaved individuals.

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This study tested whether newborn attention and arousal provide a foundation for the dynamics of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) in mother–infant dyads. Participants were 106 mothers (Mage = 29.54) and their 7‐month‐old infants (55 males and 58 White and non‐Hispanic). Newborn attention and arousal were measured shortly after birth using the NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale. Higher newborn arousal predicted a slower return of infant RSA to baseline. Additionally, greater newborn attention predicted mothers’ slower return to baseline RSA following the still‐face paradigm, and this effect only held for mothers whose infants had lower newborn arousal. These findings suggest that newborn neurobehavior, measured within days of birth, may contribute to later mother–infant physiological processes while recovering from stress.

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a principle-based third-wave cognitive-behavioral therapy. It is an empirically supported psychological intervention that is effective for a range of psychiatric diagnoses and clinical problems. In particular, DBT is helpful for patients who struggle with dysregulated emotions, behaviors, attention, and/or interpersonal relationships, such as those with personality disorders, self-injurious behaviors, chronic mood disorders, substance abuse, and histories of childhood abuse or neglect. DBT is a philosophically complex psychotherapy. It is founded on principles of behaviorism, enriched with the philosophy of dialectics, and it incorporates mindfulness-based practices adopted from Buddhist traditions. Adherent practitioners often receive years of training and consultation. This chapter first introduces the core elements of DBT for those who are not familiar with it. We then review evidence for DBT as an effective treatment for personality disorders. Finally, we conclude by summarizing limitations and future directions for research and practice of DBT. Throughout this chapter, we draw upon our clinical experiences and lessons learned as practitioners. We argue that DBT is among the most effective interventions for complex, multi-diagnostic patient groups when it is delivered in a comprehensive and adherent manner.

Background There is need for deeper understanding of the processes by which suicidal thoughts lead to action. Examination of morbid ideation and the emotional sequelae of such ideation that may feed suicide ideation (SI) and attempts (SA) have been limited. Method Adult psychiatric outpatients (N = 385) were administered the Response to Morbid Ideation Questionnaire (RMI‐Q) and measures of SI, suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STB), and other psychiatric symptom severity. We examined (1) incidence and prevalence in mentation of morbid ideations and emotional responses to these ideations, (2) differences in emotional responses between individuals of varying levels of suicide history, and (3) the relationships of different types of morbid ideations and emotional responses with concurrent SI and symptom severity. Results Morbid ideation was reported by 87.5% of participants and associated with lifetime and concurrent levels of SI/STB. Calm/relieved emotional responses were associated with lifetime and concurrent levels of SI/STB, while negative‐valence responses to morbid ideations were associated with concurrent severity of psychopathology. Conclusions Our results suggest that the role of morbid ideation and its emotional sequelae in the development of suicidal motivation and action deserves further attention and may be a treatment target for suicide risk reduction.