Date of Award

2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Psychology

Abstract

Clinicians and researchers have routinely searched for better ways to identify suicidal behaviors before an attempt to end ones life can occur. Decades of research have studied the question of what predisposes a person to suicidal behaviors and taking their own life. Researchers have sought to examine ways to capture these risk factors and features of suicidal behavior through assessment. Although various suicidal behavior measures exist, many of them only capture a snapshot view of suicidal risk. In addition, some measures in use are not derived from the most recent theories on suicidal behavior, which have expanded the understanding of how suicidal behaviors progress to lethal self-harm and lack availability or ease of use for many clinicians. In order to best assess suicidal risk a measure is needed that is derived from a strong empirical background, is readily available and easy for clinicians to administer, and captures the core components of the leading theory of suicidal behavior. This study aimed to construct a brief measure of suicidality based on Joiner's interpersonal theory of suicide (IPTS) using items from the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF). The study focused on the IPTS factors of thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness, excluding acquired capacity. This study hypothesized that a two-factor model, encompassing these constructs, will best fit the new scale. Additionally, the study anticipated higher scores on the scale among individuals with a history of suicidal behavior. Lastly, it was hypothesized that the new measure would demonstrate good internal consistency after assessing Cronbach's alpha estimates and average interitem correlations. Results of the exploratory factor analysis partially supported the hypothesized two-factor structure but revealed high shared variance, leading to a combined single-factor scale. In addition, results demonstrated the constructed scale established good reliability and internal consistency, supporting its effectiveness as a unidimensional measure that incorporates both constructs. Lastly, individuals with a history of suicidal behavior scored significantly higher on the scale, highlighting its potential utility in identifying and assessing suicidal risk. The implications of the present findings for future clinical research and treatment implications are discussed.

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