Interpersonal Needs, Mental Pain, and Hopelessness in Psychiatric Inpatients with Suicidal Ideation
Abstract
Introduction Suicide is a leading cause of death worldwide and models may help the understanding of the phenomenon and ultimately reduce its burden through effective suicide prevention strategies. The Interpersonal Theory of Suicide and Shneidman's Model have tried to describe different unmet needs related to suicidal ideation. The study aims to assess the association between thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, and suicidal ideation in a sample of psychiatric inpatients and the mediating role of hopelessness and mental pain in this association. Methods 112 consecutive adult psychiatric inpatients were administered the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS), the Italian version of the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire-15-I (INQ-15-I), the Physical and Psychological Pain Scale, and the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS). Results Mediation models indicated a significant indirect effect of perceived burdensomeness (with thwarted belongingness as covariates) on suicidal ideation intensity with hopelessness as a mediator. When thwarted belongingness (controlling for perceived burdensomeness as a covariate) was included in a model as an independent variable, direct and indirect effects on suicidal ideation intensity were not significant. Conclusions Psychosocial interventions focusing on identifying and decreasing the perception of being a burden for others and the feeling hopeless could represent a powerful pathway for reducing suicidal ideation. Moreover, the att…
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Psychological pain mediates the relationship between perceived burdensomeness and suicidality among psychiatric inpatients with suicidal ideation.
“Berardelli et al. [16] demonstrated that interpersonal needs, psychological pain, and hopelessness are interlinked among psychiatric inpatients with suicidal ideation, with psychological pain mediating the relationship between perceived burdensomeness and suicidality.”
From Targeting Psychological Pain After a Suicide Attempt: Scoping Review and Intervention Protocol (2026) · cites this paper as [16]
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Targeting Psychological Pain After a Suicide Attempt: Scoping Review and Intervention Protocol
Comendador, L., Palao, D. J., Sanz, A., Andreo-Jover, J., Baca-García, E., Barrigón, M. L., Bobes-Bascarán, M. T., Botí, M. Á., Diaz-Marsá, M., Elices, M., et al. (2026) · Journal of Clinical Medicine · doi:10.3390/jcm15083124 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
“Berardelli et al. [16] demonstrated that interpersonal needs, psychological pain, and hopelessness are interlinked among psychiatric inpatients with suicidal ideation, with psychological pain mediating the relationship between perceived burdensomeness and suicidality.”
- Authors
- Berardelli, I., Rogante, E., Sarubbi, S., Trocchia, M. A., Longhini, L., Erbuto, D., Innamorati, M., & Pompili, M.
- Affiliations
- Azienda Ospedaliera Sant'Andrea (IT)
- Sapienza University of Rome (IT)
- European University of Rome (IT)
- Corresponding author
- Berardelli, Isabella
- ORCID
- Venue
- Pharmacopsychiatry
- Publisher
- Georg Thieme Verlag KG
- Published
- 2023-09-12
- Volume
- 56
- Issue
- 06
- Pages
- 219-226
- ISSN
- 0176-3679 (ISSN-L)
- 1439-0795
- OpenAlex
- W4386648692
- Cited by
- 8
- References
- 24
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 1
- FWCI
- 2.32
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Pharmacopsychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- IRIS Research product catalog (Sapienza University of Rome) (submittedVersion)
- 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
- suicidal ideation, interpersonal theory of suicide, thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, hopelessness, psychological suffering, psychiatric inpatients, suicide prevention, mediation, suicide stigma
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Humans, Inpatients, Interpersonal Relations, Pain, Risk Factors, Suicide, Suicidal Ideation
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