Lifetime and 12‐Month Nonsuicidal Self‐Injury and Academic Performance in College Freshmen

We examined whether nonsuicidal self‐injury (NSSI) is associated with academic performance in college freshmen, using census‐based web surveys (N = 7,527; response = 65.4%). NSSI was assessed with items from the Self‐Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors Interview and subsequently linked with the administratively recorded academic year percentage (AYP). Freshmen with lifetime and 12‐month NSSI showed a reduction in AYP of 3.4% and 5.9%, respectively. The college environment was found to moderate the effect of 12‐month NSSI, with more strongly reduced AYPs in departments with higher‐than‐average mean departmental AYPs. The findings suggest that overall stress and test anxiety are underlying processes between NSSI membership and academic performance.     

Decision Making in Social Context in Patients with Suicide Attempt History

Decision making has been found to be altered in suicide attempters, but little is known of their performance in social contexts. Twenty‐seven depressed suicide attempters (DSA), 25 nonsuicidal depressed patients (DP), and 60 healthy participants (HC) were evaluated by a decision‐making task in social context . Results indicated DSA and DP obtained lower gains and invested more money with angry partners. DSA were found to invest less money than DP and HC with happy partners. DSA showed insensitivity toward rewards/punishment contingency, and they did not use the socioemotional stimuli to guide their decisions.     

Effect of Socioeconomic Status on the Linkage Between Suicidal Ideation and Suicide Attempts

Previous suicide attempts are a leading risk factor for completed suicide. To identify specific characteristics of those at high risk for attempts, we investigated associations with socioeconomic status (SES). Data from the 2013 Korean Community Health Survey (KCHS) included adults who reported suicidal ideation (N = 220,245). Attempts in the past 12 months were assessed. Associations of demographic, socioeconomic, and suicide‐related behavioral factors were analyzed using multiple logistic regression. Among those with suicidal ideation, 862 (3.9%) had attempted suicide. After stratification by age and gender, results showed that low education and unemployed young adult men and women had significantly higher rates of attempts. The lowest income level was associated with significantly higher rates of attempts in only young adult women. Among those with the lowest and highest income, the association between ideation and attempts was attenuated, whereas it was enhanced among other income groups.     

Suicide After Evaluation for Involuntary Psychiatric Commitment—Who Gets Them and What Influences Survival Time?

Although involuntary psychiatric hospitalizations are associated with suicide risk, little is known about the relationship between evaluation for involuntary detention and suicide. We analyzed data on 10,082 suicides from 2000 to 2011 to examine demographics related to evaluation for detention and the association between demographics and evaluation dispositions on survival time. Evaluation preceded 11% of suicides; 53.8% of deaths occurred within 365 days, 6.5 times the expected rate. Males and older individuals were least likely to have been evaluated. Minority status and referral disposition influence 30‐day survival time. Risk is highly concentrated in the first year following evaluation.     

Is Cumulative Exposure to Suicide Attempts and Deaths a Risk Factor for Suicidal Behavior Among Firefighters? A Preliminary Study

The association between cumulative exposure to suicide attempts and deaths and suicidal behavior was examined in a sample of 61 professional firefighters. On average, firefighters reported 13.1 (SD = 16.6) exposures over the course of their lifetime. Cumulative exposure to suicide attempts and deaths was positively correlated with suicidal behavior (r = .38, p = .004). Moreover, firefighters with 12+ exposures were more likely to screen positive for risk of suicidal behavior (OR = 7.885, p = .02). Additional research on the potential impact of cumulative exposure to suicide attempts and deaths on firefighters' health and safety is needed.     

Factors Associated with Achieving Complete Mental Health among Individuals with Lifetime Suicidal Ideation

The objective of this study was to identify factors associated with complete mental health among Canadians who had ever seriously considered suicide. Data for this study were obtained from Statistics Canada's 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey–Mental Health (N = 2,844). The outcome variable examined in this study was complete mental health and was analyzed using binary logistic regression. Of the 2,844 respondents with lifetime suicidal ideation, 1,088 (38.2%) had complete mental health (i.e., had flourishing mental health, no mental illness, and no suicidal ideation in the past 12 months). Those who had a confidant were seven times more likely to have complete mental health. Other factors associated with achieving complete mental health among formerly suicidal respondents include being older, being a woman, having higher income, use of religious coping, and never previously having a mental illness. Considering the importance of these protective factors in formulating public health policies will allow for a more wide‐reaching approach to suicide prevention.     

Factors Associated with Suicidality Among a National Sample of Transgender Veterans

Correlates of past‐year suicidal ideation and lifetime suicide risk among a national sample of transgender veterans were examined. An online, convenience sample of 212 U.S. transgender veterans participated in a cross‐sectional survey in February–May 2014. We evaluated associations between sociodemographic characteristics, stigma, mental health, and psychosocial resources with past‐year suicidal ideation and lifetime suicide plans and attempts. Participants reported high rates of past‐year suicidal ideation (57%) as well as history of suicide plan or attempt (66%). Transgender‐related felt stigma during military service and current posttraumatic stress disorder and depressive symptoms were associated with suicide outcomes as were economic and demographic factors.     

The Incremental Utility of Emotion Regulation But Not Emotion Reactivity in Nonsuicidal Self‐Injury

This study assessed the incremental utility of emotion reactivity and emotion regulation in relation to nonsuicidal self‐injury (NSSI). Participants included 379 college students aged 18–22 who completed self‐report measures of emotion regulation, emotion reactivity, and NSSI. Emotion regulation was significantly related to NSSI both ignoring and controlling for reactivity, but the reverse was not true. Participants' use of NSSI for affect regulation appeared to moderate this relation. Findings support emotion regulation deficits as a target for intervention over and above heightened emotion reactivity, especially in those who use NSSI to regulate negative affect.     

In Eating‐Disordered Inpatient Adolescents,Self‐Criticism Predicts Nonsuicidal Self‐Injury

We examined the role of depressive traits—self‐criticism and dependency—in nonsuicidal self‐injury (NSSI) and suicidal ideation among inpatient adolescents with eating disorders. In two studies (N = 103 and 55), inpatients were assessed for depressive traits, suicidal ideations, and NSSI. In Study 2, motivation for carrying out NSSI was also assessed. In both studies, depression predicted suicidal ideation and self‐criticism predicted NSSI. In Study 2, depression and suicidal ideation also predicted NSSI. The automatic positive motivation for NSSI was predicted by dependency and depressive symptoms, and by a two‐way interaction between self‐criticism and dependency. Consistent with the “self‐punishment model,” self‐criticism appears to constitute a dimension of vulnerability for NSSI.     

Suicidality Among Chronically Homeless People with Alcohol Problems Attenuates Following Exposure to Housing First

This study is the first to document suicidality among chronically homeless people with alcohol problems (N = 134) and examine its trajectory following exposure to immediate, permanent, low‐barrier housing (i.e., Housing First). Suicidal ideation, intent, plans, and prior attempts were assessed at baseline and during a 2‐year follow‐up. Baseline suicidal ideation was over four times higher than in the general population. Two‐year, within‐subjects, longitudinal analyses indicated severity of suicidal ideation decreased by 43% from baseline to follow‐up. Significant decreases were also found for intent and clinical significance of ideation. No participants died by suicide during the 2‐year follow‐up.