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Pain persistence and lethality of suicide attempts
Author(s) -
Paashaus Laura,
Forkmann Thomas,
Glaesmer Heide,
Juckel Georg,
Rath Dajana,
Schönfelder Antje,
Teismann Tobias
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
clinical psychology and psychotherapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.315
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1099-0879
pISSN - 1063-3995
DOI - 10.1002/cpp.2438
Subject(s) - persistence (discontinuity) , intervention (counseling) , pain tolerance , suicide prevention , psychology , psychiatry , lethality , injury prevention , psychological pain , poison control , human factors and ergonomics , association (psychology) , clinical psychology , suicide attempt , suicide risk , chronic pain , medicine , medical emergency , psychotherapist , threshold of pain , geotechnical engineering , biology , engineering , genetics
The interpersonal–psychological theory of suicide posits that elevated pain tolerance is necessary to engage in suicidal behaviour. It is assumed that suicidal intent only leads to lethal (or near lethal) suicide attempts when an individual has the capability to persist the pain involved in dying. The aim of this study was to assess whether objective pain persistence moderates the association between suicide intent and lethality of a recent suicide attempt. Ninety‐seven inpatients, who were hospitalized due to a recent suicide attempt, were interviewed regarding lifetime suicide attempts as well as their most recent suicide attempt: Method of attempt, intention to die, medical risk of death, probability of an intervention, and physical condition following the attempt were inquired. Pain persistence was examined using a pressure algometer. Contrary to the expectation, pain persistence did not moderate the association between suicide intent and lethality of a recent suicide attempt, that is, medical risk of death, probability of an intervention, or physical condition following the attempt. Future studies are needed to examine method specific pain persistence for suicidal behaviour in a longitudinal study design.