Introduction to the Special Issue on Interoception and Suicidality

Empirically informed theories of suicide highlight the importance of identifying factors that lead from suicide ideation to suicidal behavior. Interoceptive dysfunction may be one such differentiating factor. Interoceptive dysfunction refers to a disconnection from the internal sensations of the body, which can cause difficulty in truly understanding and knowing one’s own body. Specifically, interoceptive dysfunction may lead to such disconnection from the self that the body comes to be seen as “other” and potentially even “nonhuman.” A burgeoning body of research supports these theoretical links and also highlights the need for methodologically rigorous studies that employ careful measurement of these constructs. Thus, this special section is devoted to articles that advance the understanding of the relationship between interoception and suicidality. A more nuanced understanding of the relationship between interoceptive dysfunction and suicidality is critical for improving suicide prevention and treatment efforts.     

The Paranoid Style in American Politics Revisited: An Ideological Asymmetry in Conspiratorial Thinking

It is often claimed that conspiracy theories are endorsed with the same level of intensity across the left-right ideological spectrum. But do liberals and conservatives in the United States embrace conspiratorial thinking to an equivalent degree? There are important historical, philosophical, and scientific reasons dating back to Richard Hofstadter's book The Paranoid Style in American Politics to doubt this claim. In four large studies of U.S. adults (total N = 5049)—including national samples—we investigated the relationship between political ideology, measured in both symbolic and operational terms, and conspiratorial thinking in general. Results reveal that conservatives in the United States were not only more likely than liberals to endorse specific conspiracy theories, but they were also more likely to espouse conspiratorial worldviews in general (r = .27, 95% CI: .24, .30). Importantly, extreme conservatives were significantly more likely to engage in conspiratorial thinking than extreme liberals (Hedges' g = .77, SE = .07, p < .001). The relationship between ideology and conspiratorial thinking was mediated by a strong distrust of officialdom and paranoid ideation, both of which were higher among conservatives, consistent with Hofstadter's account of the paranoid style in American politics.     

The targets of all treachery: Delusional ideation,paranoia, and the need for uniqueness as mediators between two forms of narcissism and conspiracy beliefs

The present cross-sectional study (N_Participants = 397; N_Informants = 460) examined the association of both grandiose narcissism and vulnerable narcissism with conspiracy beliefs in the context of four theoretically-relevant mediators. Participants who were higher in grandiose narcissism and vulnerable narcissism were more likely to believe in conspiracy theories, seemingly because they were more likely to hold unusual beliefs. There was, likewise, some evidence to suggest that those high in vulnerable narcissism believe in conspiracy theories because they suffer from paranoia, whereas those high in grandiose narcissism believe in conspiracy theories because of a desire to be unique. Together, these results suggest that the conspiracist ideation seen among those high in grandiose narcissism and vulnerable narcissism is a consequence of features that are shared between and unique to each of the traits.     

创伤暴露对青少年暴力行为和自杀意念的影响:创伤后应激障碍和抑郁的中介作用

采用创伤暴露问卷、基于DSM-5的创伤后应激障碍症状核查表、流调中心用抑郁量表和青少年行为问题调查表,在雅安地震3.5年后对地震极重灾区的703名中学生进行调查,考察创伤暴露对暴力行为和自杀意念的影响,并检验创伤后应激障碍和抑郁在其中的中介作用。结果发现：创伤暴露可以直接正向预测暴力行为和自杀意念,PTSD在创伤暴露对暴力行为和自杀意念的影响间起中介作用,抑郁仅在创伤暴露对自杀意念的影响间起中介作用,而在创伤暴露对暴力行为影响间的中介效应不显著。     

Early attrition among suicidal clients

The study aimed to identify the level of suicidal ideation in early attrition clients and their reasons for the early termination of their therapy. The cross-sectional design involved early attrition clients (C_A) who withdrew from therapy before their second session (n?=?61), and continuing clients who (C_C) progressed beyond their second session (n?=?73). All completed the Suicidal Behaviours Questionnaire-Revised scale, and the C_A group also completed the Reasons for Terminating Therapy Scale. Clients were significantly more likely to disengage if they were self-referred, had no health-care support or had lower suicidal ideation. The study identifies the significant role of suicidal ideation and referral source in therapy retention and the implications this has for therapists and counsellors.     

Differences in emotion modulation using cognitive reappraisal in individuals with and without suicidal ideation: An ERP study

Difficulties in emotion regulation have been associated with increased suicidal thoughts and behaviours. The majority of studies have examined self-reported use of emotion regulation strategies. In contrast, the current study focused on a direct measure of individuals’ ability to use a specific emotion regulation strategy, cognitive reappraisal, using the late positive potential (LPP), an event-related potential component that reflects attention to emotional stimuli. Specifically, the cognitive reappraisal ability of 33 undergraduate students was assessed via an image-viewing task during which the participants had to passively view, increase or reduce their emotions in response to looking at neutral, positive or dysphoric images. We found that participants with a history of suicidal ideation (SI) had significantly higher LPP when asked to reduce negative emotion in response to dysphoric images, compared to individuals with no history of SI. These findings suggest that difficulties with using cognitive reappraisal, specifically to decrease negative affect, might be linked to suicide risk.     

Development of the Japanese Version of the Generic Conspiracist Beliefs Scale (GCBS-J)

Generic conspiracist belief refers to the general tendency toward conspiracist ideation independent of specific event-based conspiracy theories. The present research aimed to develop a Japanese version of the Generic Conspiracist Beliefs Scale (GCBS-J). In two studies, we examined the factor structure, reliability, and convergent and discriminant validity of the GCBS-J. In Study 1 (N = 600), exploratory factor analysis with a split-half subsample proposed a two-factor solution dissociating extraterrestrial conspiracy from other conspiracist ideations. Subsequent confirmatory factor analysis with the other split-half subsample confirmed the two-factor structure. Study 1 also established convergent validity by indicating strong positive correlations with other measures of conspiracist belief. Study 2 (N = 178) added further evidence to indicate a positive correlation with related psychological constructs, such as paranormal beliefs. Study 2 also confirmed temporal test–retest reliability and the discriminant validity of the GCBS-J by indicating no association with an unrelated construct, namely Big-Five personality traits. These findings suggest that the GCBS-J is a useful tool for assessing generic conspiracist beliefs within Japanese samples.     

Suicide Signs on the Rorschach

This paper reviews the literature concerning the assessment of suicide using the Rorschach and updates the important developments since Goldfried, Stricker, and Weiner's comprehensive review of the literature in 1971. Special attention is given to those indicators which show the most support in the literature and are most efficient to use. The presence or absence of any of these signs in a patient's record should not be taken to signify the presence or absence of suicidal ideation. However, the presence of even one of these indicators does provide a warning to the clinician, indicating that further exploration in this area may be warranted. Knowledge of the many suicidal indicators on projective tests places the clinician in a better position to predict such destructive behavior and intervene appropriately.     

Sexual Risk-Taking Behaviors Among Adolescents with Severe Emotional Disturbance

We investigated the sexual risk-taking behaviors of adolescents with severe emotional disturbance (SED). Subjects (N = 70) were clients of the South Carolina Continuum of Care. Information on sexual intercourse, sexual risk-taking, aggressive behaviors, substance use, and suicidal behavior was gathered using a modified version of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention self-report Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Forty-two percent of each race-gender group reported first intercourse before age 13, except for African American females at 63%. Seventy-five to 79% of all race-gender groups reported first sexual intercourse by age 18. Drinking alcohol before age 13 and carrying a weapon in the past 30 days were associated with first intercourse before age 13. Youth reporting first intercourse between ages 13 and 18 were about 12 times more likely to report suicide ideation than those youth who reported never having sexual intercourse. Youth with SED reporting first intercourse before age 13 appear to have an increased risk for unintended pregnancy and for contracting a sexually transmitted disease compared to youth with SED reporting first intercourse after age 13.     

Coping with a Paraphrenic World in Late Life

This study deals with late paraphrenia from a psychological coping perspective. Analyses of coping behavior in relation to paraphrenic delusions and hallucinations revealed rational choices of coping efforts and generally consistent emotional reactions to the subjectively perceived problem. The majority of the patients did not display evidence of premorbid abnormal personalities or life courses. The creation and sustainment of psychotic thoughts are discussed in relation to lack of correcting social feedback due to social isolation and weakened cognitive source monitoring. The implications of a psychological coping perspective for intervention are indicated.