Research Symposium

BIO

Drew Sexton is a second-year undergraduate student from Tarpon Springs, Florida, studying Psychology and Philosophy at Florida State University. After working in the Laboratory for the Study and Prevention of Suicide-Related Conditions and Behaviors at FSU, Drew hopes to continue doing research at the graduate level. He is chiefly interested in what it means to live well and how to cultivate such a life from both a clinical and philosophical perspective.

Reexamining the Interpersonal Psychological Theory of Suicide: A Return to Theoretical Precision

Abstract

Over the last two decades great progress has been made in developing empirical theory driven models of suicidal behavior, with one of the most important models being the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (ITS) (Joiner, 2005). The ITS proposes that suicidal desire arises from interpersonal hopelessness (IHS) surrounding perceived burdensomeness (PB) and thwarted belongingness (TB), with capability enabling lethal suicidal behavior. The immense amount of research conducted regarding the ITS has resulted in improved forms of measurement of IHS, PB, and TB. Our research leverages these improved forms of measurement in order to test the ITS accurately. 450 adult participants will complete an online self-report battery of all known validated English measures of the ITS constructs. Using a hierarchical multiple regression, we will examine whether IHS, PB, TB, and capability predict suicidal desire and behavior. While specific constructs within the ITS have already been tested in their interactions with one another, all of them have yet to be examined interacting together in the complex way they were originally hypothesized to interact.

Keywords: Clinical Psychology; Suicide; Interpersonal; Psychology