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Cited by 73Suicide and Self-Harm StudiesHomicide, Infanticide, and Child AbuseDeath Anxiety and Social Exclusion

Preliminary examination of the interpersonal psychological theory of suicide in an adolescent clinical sample

Horton, Sarah E., Hughes, Jennifer L., King, Jessica D., Kennard, Betsy D., Westers, Nicholas J., Mayes, Taryn L., Stewart, Sunita M.·2016·Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology
DOI 10.1007/s10802-015-0109-5
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Abstract

This study offers a preliminary examination of the Interpersonal-Psychological Theory of Suicide (IPTS; Joiner 2005) in an adolescent clinical sample. The IPTS offers a nuanced framework that has many conceptual and practical merits. Although this theory has a growing base of evidence among adults, it has yet to be tested in adolescents using direct measures of its central constructs. Participants were 147 adolescents (76.2 % girls) on an inpatient psychiatric unit, who completed measures of key IPTS constructs of thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, acquired capability for suicide, as well as depression severity, hopelessness, and severity of suicidal symptoms. Our findings were largely consistent with hypotheses derived from the IPTS: perceived burdensomeness, and at a marginal level, thwarted belongingness, were independently associated with current suicidal ideation. The thwarted belongingness by perceived burdensomeness interaction marginally distinguished between adolescents with passive and active suicidal ideation. Acquired capability for suicide was associated with recent suicidal intent. Examination of all three IPTS constructs simultaneously revealed main effects of each construct (with a marginal effect of thwarted belongingness), and interaction effects for thwarted belongingness by perceived burdensomeness, and thwarted belongingness by perceived burdensomeness by acquired capability for suicide in association with suicidal symptom severity. Sex, age, depression severity, and hopelessness were controlled in all analyses. This study offers strong, albeit preliminary, support of the IPTS in a clinical adolescent sample. Assessment of IPTS constructs may be useful in determining persistent risk for suicide attempt. Prospective tests of the theory, and extensions to intervention and prevention should be considered in future IPTS research.

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  • Feelings of thwarted belonging and perceived burdensomeness were identified in a clinical sample of adolescents with suicidal ideation.

    “Horton et al. (2016) identified feelings of thwarted belonging and perceived burdensomeness in a clinical sample of adolescents with suicidal ideation.”

    From A hope intervention for adolescents: a randomized controlled trial delivered by paraprofessionals (2025) · cites this paper as Horton et al., 2016

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Authors
Horton, S. E., Hughes, J. L., King, J. D., Kennard, B. D., Westers, N. J., Mayes, T. L., & Stewart, S. M.
Affiliations
Children's Medical Center (US)
Corresponding author
Stewart, Sunita M.
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2015-12-14
Volume
44
Issue
6
Pages
1133-1144
ISSN
  • 0091-0627 (ISSN-L)
  • 1573-2835
DOI
10.1007/s10802-015-0109-5
OpenAlex
W2221900258
Cited by
73
References
45
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 1
FWCI
7.04
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
Locations
  • Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Homicide, Infanticide, and Child Abuse
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion
Keywords
interpersonal theory of suicide, adolescents, suicidal ideation, thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, acquired capability for suicide, suicidal symptoms, suicidal intent, psychiatric inpatients, suicide risk assessment
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Psychology, Adolescent, Child, Female, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Male, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Psychological Tests, Psychological Theory, Suicide, Suicide, Attempted, Suicidal Ideation

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