Suicide‐Specific Cognitions, Attentional Fixation, and Worst‐Point Suicidal Ideation

Abstract

Objective The fluid vulnerability theory of suicide posits that each person has a baseline risk for suicide, which is comprised of both stable and dynamic factors. The current study investigated the unique involvement of suicide‐specific cognitions and attentional fixation on recent suicidal ideation (SI) and SI at its worst. Method Data were analyzed from a sample of N = 126 undergraduate students with a history of SI. Path analyses were used to analyze the relationship between suicide‐specific cognitions, attentional fixation, and SI (current and worst point). Results Results revealed that suicide‐specific cognitions were directly related to both recent SI and worst‐point SI. Suicide‐specific cognitions had a significant, indirect effect with worst‐point SI through attentional fixation, but this effect was not significant when using recent SI. Conclusion These data support the need for interventions to target cognitive contents and contexts (e.g., fixation) to reduce escalation of SI. Future work would benefit from replicating and extending results in studies that include prospective designs and the assessment of suicidal behaviors.

Predicting self-injurious thoughts in daily life using ambulatory assessment of state cognition

“…There is increasing evidence that cognitive dysfunctions in attention, processing speed, working memory, executive control and other "online" abilities are important for understanding temporally concomitant SITs (Cha et al, 2019;Jollant et al, 2011). Beyond biased processing (i.e., disengagement difficulties) on SITs-themed behavioral tasks and self-reports (i.e., Suicide Stroop Task; Cha et al, 2019;Moscardini, Aboussouan, Bryan, & Tucker, 2020), individuals with prior NSSI and suicide attempts exhibit a broad range of significantly poorer basic cognitive abilities (see Cha et al, 2019 for review). More specifically, deficits in basic cognitive abilities may make it difficult to disengage from SITs thereby accelerating the transition to self-injurious behaviors (Wenzel and Beck, 2008).…”

Development and Initial Validation of a Scale Assessing Suicide-Specific Rumination: The Suicide Rumination Scale

“…Adler et al (2015) suggest that attentional fixation involves cognitive overload and inability to disengage in the context of a suicidal crisis, and that such fixation may be proximal to suicidal behavior. Indeed, recent research indicates that this type of suicide-specific attentional fixation accounts for the relationship between beliefs about suicide and worst-point suicidal ideation (Moscardini et al, 2020).…”

Suicide Cognitions Scale: Psychometric Support in a Community Sample Using Bifactor Modeling and Altered Item Content

“…In addition, results provided support for known group validity (e.g., participants with an STB history had significantly higher mean SCS-R scores than those without said history) and concurrent validity with measures of SI (Bryan et al, 2021). Previous studies have found that the SCS-R demonstrates excellent internal consistency (α = .96–.98; Bryan et al, 2021; Moscardini et al, 2020). Reliability of the SCS-R in the current sample is discussed in the “Results” section.…”