Main predictions of the interpersonal–psychological theory of suicidal behavior: Empirical tests in two samples of young adults.

TLDR

The interpersonal‑psychological theory proposes that perceived burdensomeness combined with social alienation generates a desire for death, and that only individuals who have acquired a capability through repeated exposure to painful or fearsome experiences will act on that desire. The authors tested these propositions by examining whether low family social support and perceived burdensomeness interact to predict suicidal ideation in Study 1, and whether low belonging, perceived burdensomeness, and prior suicide attempts interact to predict suicide attempts in Study 2, both analyses controlling for depression. Both studies confirmed that the predicted interactions significantly forecasted suicidal ideation and attempts beyond depression, supporting the theory’s core claims and highlighting implications for prevention and treatment.

Abstract

The interpersonal-psychological theory of suicidal behavior (T. E. Joiner, 2005) makes 2 overarching predictions: (a) that perceptions of burdening others and of social alienation combine to instill the desire for death and (b) that individuals will not act on the desire for death unless they have developed the capability to do so. This capability develops through exposure and thus habituation to painful and/or fearsome experiences and is posited by the theory to be necessary for overcoming powerful self-preservation pressures. Two studies tested these predictions. In Study 1, the interaction of (low) family social support (cf. social alienation or low belonging) and feeling that one does not matter (cf. perceived burdensomeness) predicted current suicidal ideation, beyond depression indices. In Study 2, the 3-way interaction among a measure of low belonging, a measure of perceived burdensomeness, and lifetime number of suicide attempts (viewed as a strong predictor of the level of acquired capability for suicide) predicted current suicide attempt (vs. ideation) among a clinical sample of suicidal young adults, again beyond depression indices and other key covariates. Implications for the understanding, treatment, and prevention of suicidal behavior are discussed.