Neuroticism and Suicidal Behavior: Conditional Indirect Effects of Social Problem Solving and Hopelessness

Abstract

Individuals with problem solving deficits, and higher levels of neuroticism and hopelessness, are at increased risk for suicide, yet little is known about the interrelationships between these vulnerability characteristics. In a sample of 223 low-income, primary care patients, we examined the potential mediating role of hopelessness on the relation between neuroticism and suicidal behavior, and the potential moderating role of social problem solving ability. Participants completed self-report questionnaires: Suicidal Behaviors QuestionnaireRevised, Social Problem Solving Inventory-Revised, Beck Hopelessness Scale, and NEO Five Factor Inventory. Models were tested using bootstrapped moderated mediation techniques. There was a significant indirect effect of neuroticism on suicidal behavior through hopelessness, and this indirect effect was moderated by social problem solving ability. Patients with greater neuroticism also manifest greater levels of hopelessness and, in turn, more suicidal behavior, and these relations are strengthened at lower levels of social problem solving. Interventions that increase social problem solving ability and reduce hopelessness may reduce suicide risk.Keywords Suicidal behavior . Neuroticism . Hopelessness . Social problem solving . Primary careIn the United States, suicidal behavior is a significant public health concern, with death by suicide ranked as the 10th leading cause of death (American Association of Suicidology [AAS] 2012). In 2011, 8.3 million adults (approximately 3.7 % of the U.S. population) endorsed having thoughts about suicide, and 1 million adults attempted suicide (Center for Int J Ment Health Addiction

Self‐perceptions of aging mediate the longitudinal relationship of hopelessness and depressive symptoms

“…Independently of depressive symptoms, hopelessness is remarkably consistent over an 8‐year period for HRS participants ( r = 0.52, P < .001) . Individuals who are hopeless are more likely to have neurotocism and depressive symptoms, think of suicide, die, and have worse physical and social functioning, compared with people who are not hopeless …”

“…32 Individuals who are hopeless are more likely to have neurotocism and depressive symptoms, think of suicide, die, and have worse physical and social functioning, compared with people who are not hopeless. [33][34][35][36][37] Hopelessness represents broad expectations for one's future in general, whereas SPA represents one's perceptions specific to how one is aging. A hallmark of hopelessness is withdrawing from goal pursuits, not pursuing goals, and not expecting positive outcomes.…”

Social Problem-Solving in Freshmen: The Role of Emotional Stability, Secure Attachment, Communication Skill, and Self-Esteem

“…Emotional stability is a negative form of neuroticism, which means emotional instability (Kalokerinos et al, 2020;Widiger & Oltmanns, 2017). Individuals with greater neuroticism show greater levels of hopelessness when encountering a problem, thus allowing more suicidal behavior due to lower levels of social problem-solving (Walker, Chang, & Hirsch, 2017). Neuroticism is also found to be highly correlated with negative problem orientation (Chow, Chiu, & Wong, 2011;D'Zurilla, Maydeu-Olivares, & Gallardo-Pujol, 2011).…”

Group Problem-Solving Training as a Low-Intensity Psychosocial Intervention for Suicidal Outpatients: An Implementation Study

“…Studies concerning the psychological processes underlying suicidal behaviour has also highlighted deficits in social problemsolving abilities. Several researchers including Walker, Chang and Hirsch [11] suggested that individuals with neurotic tendencies tended to consider problems as threats and employed impulsive, passive and/or avoidance type coping. These maladaptive ways of coping present greater risk for suicide vulnerability as mediators towards hopelessness.…”