Abstract
Acquired Capability has been a longstanding measure used to predict the likelihood that one may attempt suicide. However, does it hold true in every scenario? Are there other measures that would prove more accurate? This research evaluated these questions, examining archival data of two identified risk groups: those participating in Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI) and Disordered Eating (DE).
When measured using the Acquired Capability for Suicide Scale (ACSS), both groups have similar results in survey data as well as when measuring Distress Tolerance. This would imply that both are at the same risk of attempting suicide. However, when the groups were analyzed using the Self-Harm Behavior Questionnaire (SHBQ), a vast disparity was shown between the two - with the NSSI group being at a higher risk of attempting suicide in the following spheres: more total attempts, more severe attempts, and more recent attempts. Therefore, there is an inherent disconnect between Acquired Capability, Distress Tolerance and actual suicide attempts. The Acquired Capability and Distress Tolerance therefore associate differently into predicting suicide risk; is there a moderator in this process?
The Reasons for Living Inventory for Adolescents (RFL-A) is measure that asks, “what are reasons that one may not want to commit suicide?” It’s divided into five aspects: future optimism, suicide-related concerns, family alliance, peer acceptance and support and self-acceptance. When evaluating NSSI and DE groups, clear differences were found in the family alliance, future optimism and suicide-related concerns – demonstrating that they are associated with suicide risk. In a broader sense, this demonstrates a different aspect of suicidology that can better assess an individual patient’s needs and modify treatments to improve, or improve the identification of, their Reasons of Living.
Disciplines
Clinical Psychology | Cognition and Perception | Psychology | Social and Behavioral Sciences
Recommended Citation
Beck, Brooke, "Comparing Suicide Risk, Acquired Capability, Distress Tolerance, and Reasons for Living in those with Non-Suicidal Self-Injury or Disordered Eating" (2019). Student/Alumni Personal Papers. Paper 292.
https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/stu_alum_papers/292
Comments
Paper originally presented at the American Association of Suicidology 2019 conference.