Examining the protective function of perceptions of post-traumatic growth against entrapment and suicidal ideation

Yasdiman, Meryem Betul; Townsend, Ellen; Blackie, Laura E.R.

Abstract

Background: Recent evidence has found that reporting post-traumatic growth (PTG) from a past stressful life event is associated with lower reports of suicidal ideation. Perceptions of PTG measure the extent to which an individual reports positive changes in their identity, relationships, and worldviews after a stressful event. However, little is known about how perceptions of PTG interact with feelings of defeat and entrapment to influence suicidal ideation. The current study examined this question through the Integrated Motivational-Volitional (IMV) Model of Suicidal Behavior. Methods: 521 adult participants (315 females with age range of 18–82, M = 30.4 years, SD = 13.6) completed an online cross-sectional questionnaire with defeat, entrapment, suicidal ideation, PTG, depression and anxiety measures. Hypotheses and data analysis plans were pre-registered prior to data collection. Results: PTG negatively correlated with defeat, entrapment and suicidal ideation. PTG predicted lower suicidal ideation when controlling for entrapment, depression and anxiety. PTG did not moderate the relationship between defeat on entrapment or the relationship between entrapment on suicidal ideation. Limitations: The findings were based on cross-sectional data where participants recalled experiences of defeat, entrapment and suicidal ideation from the past year. The sample was a large community (non-clinical) sample, and most of the participants identified as white (85%). Conclusion: Although PTG did not function as a moderator within the IMV model of suicidality, it predicted lower suicidal ideation while controlling for other known predictors of suicidal ideation. Future research could explore the function of PTG in appraisal-based models of suicidality.

Citation

Yasdiman, M. B., Townsend, E., & Blackie, L. E. (2022). Examining the protective function of perceptions of post-traumatic growth against entrapment and suicidal ideation. Journal of Affective Disorders, 300, 474-480. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2021.12.118

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Dec 30, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Jan 1, 2022
• Publication Date: Mar 1, 2022
• Deposit Date: Jan 14, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 2, 2023
• Journal: Journal of Affective Disorders
• Print ISSN: 0165-0327
• Electronic ISSN: 1573-2517
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 300
• Pages: 474-480
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2021.12.118
• Keywords: Psychiatry and Mental health; Clinical Psychology
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/7228917
• Publisher URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165032721014336?via%3Dihub