The role of affect in suicidal thoughts and behaviors
Abstract
Risk factors, theoretical explanations, and treatment suggestions for suicidal behaviors have historically focused largely on cognitions, but a more comprehensive picture may be provided by examining the role of affect in suicidal thoughts and behaviors. In the current study the link between affect and suicide within the theoretical framework of the circumplex model was examined empirically. Data from 104 participants demonstrated that both positive and negative affect are related to suicidal thoughts and behaviors, and that affect provided additional information about suicidality over and above the cognitive variable of hopelessness. The findings support that suicidal risk assessment may be enhanced by evaluating both hopelessness and affect, and that negative affect, in particular, is important to address in the treatment of suicidal individuals.
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Optimism, gratitude and other positive states have been associated with reductions in hopelessness, suicidal ideation and suicide attempts, often independent of depression.
“Optimism, gratitude and other positive states have been associated with reductions in hopelessness, suicidal ideation and suicide attempts, often independent of depression [10 -16].”
From Feasibility and utility of positive psychology exercises for suicidal inpatients (2014) · cites this paper as [14]
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- Authors
- Yamokoski, C. A., Scheel, K. R., & Rogers, J. R.
- Affiliations
- University of Akron (US)
- Venue
- Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2011-02-22
- Volume
- 41
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 160-170
- ISSN
- 0363-0234 (ISSN-L)
- 1943-278X
- OpenAlex
- W1943174471
- Cited by
- 39
- References
- 29
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 2
- FWCI
- 1.38
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health via Writing
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Keywords
- affect, suicidal ideation, suicidal behavior, positive affect, negative affect, circumplex model, hopelessness, suicide risk assessment
- MeSH terms
- Affect, Data Collection, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Psychological Tests, Surveys and Questionnaires, Risk Factors, Suicide, Attempted, Risk Assessment, Suicidal Ideation
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