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Cited by 1,723Suicide and Self-Harm StudiesAnxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive ProcessesBipolar Disorder and Treatment

Hopelessness and eventual suicide: a 10-year prospective study of patients hospitalized with suicidal ideation

Aaron Tim Beck, Robert A. Steer, Mária Kovács, B Garrison·1985·American Journal of Psychiatry
DOI 10.1176/ajp.142.5.559
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Abstract

The authors intensively studied 207 patients hospitalized because of suicidal ideation, but not for recent suicide attempts, at the time of admission. During a follow-up period of 5-10 years, 14 patients committed suicide. Of all the data collected at the time of hospitalization, only the Hopelessness Scale and the pessimism item of the Beck Depression Inventory predicted the eventual suicides. A score of 10 or more on the Hopelessness Scale correctly identified 91% of the eventual suicides. Taken in conjunction with previous studies showing the relationship between hopelessness and suicidal intent, these findings indicate the importance of degree of hopelessness as an indicator of long-term suicidal risk in hospitalized depressed patients.

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Crossref · 10.1176/ajp.142.5.559

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  • The opportunity to identify the presence of mental pain comorbid with depressive symptoms may help recognize poor future expectations, which is a well-known proxy for completed suicide.

    “The opportunity to identify the presence of mental pain comorbid with depressive symptoms may help recognize poor future expectations, which is a well-known proxy for completed suicide [39].”

    From High depression symptomatology and mental pain characterize suicidal psychiatric patients (2022) · cites this paper as [39]

  • We chose hopelessness and optimism as key outcome measures due to their established links to suicidality; hopelessness has been associated with completed suicide, independent of severity of mood symptoms.

    “We chose hopelessness and optimism as key outcome measures due to their established links to suicidality [10 -12]. Hopelessness has been associated with completed suicide, independent of severity of mood symptoms [46,47]”

    From Feasibility and utility of positive psychology exercises for suicidal inpatients (2014) · cites this paper as [46]

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Authors
Beck, A. T., Steer, R. A., Kovács, M., & Garrison, B.
ORCID
Venue
American Journal of Psychiatry
Publisher
American Psychiatric Association Publishing
Published
1985-05-01
Volume
142
Issue
5
Pages
559-563
ISSN
  • 0002-953X (ISSN-L)
  • 1535-7228
DOI
10.1176/ajp.142.5.559
OpenAlex
W1947374910
Cited by
1,723
References
18
Citations by year
2026: 34 · 2025: 38 · 2024: 41 · 2023: 26 · 2022: 54 · 2021: 46 · 2020: 64 · 2019: 52 · 2018: 59 · 2017: 67 · 2016: 67 · 2015: 69 · 2014: 77 · 2013: 67 · 2012: 62
FWCI
27.39
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • American Journal of Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
National Institute of Mental Health (MH-19989, MH-30847)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Bipolar Disorder and Treatment
Keywords
hopelessness, suicide, suicidal ideation, suicide risk prediction, hopelessness scale, pessimism, Beck Depression Inventory, depression, hospitalized patients, long-term follow-up
MeSH terms
Suicide Prevention, Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Behavior Therapy, Mental Disorders, Cognition, Depression, Female, Hospitalization, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Personality Inventory, Prospective Studies, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Risk, Suicide, Suicide, Attempted

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