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Hopelessness, social desirability, and suicidal behavior: A need for conceptual and empirical disentanglement
Author(s) -
Holden Ronald R.,
Mendonca James D.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.124
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1097-4679
pISSN - 0021-9762
DOI - 10.1002/1097-4679(198411)40:6<1342::aid-jclp2270400611>3.0.co;2-#
Subject(s) - psychology , social desirability , clinical psychology , depression (economics) , poison control , developmental psychology , medical emergency , medicine , economics , macroeconomics
Although hopelessness has been postulated as the primary mediator that links depression and suicide, empirical evidence has produced varied results. A review of previous research suggests that the measurement of hopelessness has not been independent of social desirability. Consequently, the relationship of hopelessness to suicidal behavior remains unclear. It is suggested that the theoretical and clinical usefulness of assessing hopelessness depends on the use of theoretically explicit instruments to assess independently content and response styles with clinically relevant populations.