Hopelessness,Depression, Suicidal Ideation,and Clinical Diagnosis of Depression

The relevance of a clinical diagnosis of depression for explaining the discrepant relationships of hopelessness and depression with suicidal ideation was studied. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Hopelessness Scale (BHS), and the Scale for Suicide Ideation (SSI) were administered to 1,306 (72.8%) patients with at least one DSM-III-R mood disorder and 488 (27.3%) patients without any mood disorders. A multiple regression analysis was conducted, and hopelessness was 1.3 times more important than depression was for explaining suicidal ideation. The interactions of the BDI and BHS with diagnostic group were not significant.     

Cognitive aspects of suicidal behavior.

Recent efforts to quantify various aspects of suicide ideation are described. The Suicide Intent Scale, Hopelessness Scale, and the Scale for Suicide Ideation all assess components of the individual's suicidal ruminations. Hopelessness seems to account for the bulk of the relationship between depression and suicidal intent. The Scale for Suicide Ideation seems to show promise as a predictive instrument, as a dependent variable in research on treatment efficacy, and as a tool for clinical assessment of suicide potential. Implications for further research and clinical practice are discussed.