Personality vulnerabilities in adolescent suicidality: The mediating role of psychological distress

Abstract

The research literature consistently indicates that self-criticism is related to suicidality. Evidence for the role of dependency, however, is more controversial. This study examines the extent to which these personality vulnerabilities are mediated by psychological distress in the prediction of suicidality. As part of a study of adolescent psychopathology, a sample of 260 Portuguese adolescents (148 [56.9 %] female and 112 [43.1%] male), ranging in age from 15 to 18 years (M = 16.32, SD = 1.19) completed measures of personality, suicidal behavior, and current distress, in counterbalanced order. The measures were: self-criticism and dependency from the Depressive Experiences Questionnaire for Adolescents; two psychological distress scales, social withdrawal from the Youth Self Report and depression from the Center for Epidemiologic Studies of Depression Scale; and a measure of suicidality from the Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire Revised. Structural equation modeling indicated that self-criticism and dependency were both significantly associated with suicidality. Psychological distress, however, as measured by withdrawal and depression, fully mediated these relationships, but did not moderate them. The authors conclude that adolescents with higher levels of self-criticism and dependency are at greater risk for experiencing intense psychological distress—high levels of social withdrawal and depression—that account for their vulnerability to suicide risk