Premium
The reciprocal associations between identity disturbance, relationship disturbance, and suicidal ideation among Chinese adolescents: A three‐wave cross‐lag study
Author(s) -
Ren Yaxuan,
Zhang Xu,
You Jianing,
Jiang Yongqiang,
Lin Minpei,
Leung Freedom
Publication year - 2018
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/jclp.22573
Subject(s) - suicidal ideation , psychology , intrapersonal communication , anxiety , clinical psychology , disturbance (geology) , developmental psychology , poison control , interpersonal communication , suicide prevention , psychiatry , social psychology , medicine , medical emergency , paleontology , biology
Objective Adolescence is a developmental period associated with a heightened risk for suicidal ideation. During this phase of life, individuals tend to focus on both intrapersonal self and interpersonal relationships. Thus, it is of much significance to understand the roles of intrapersonal and interpersonal factors in the development of suicidal ideation among adolescents. The present study examined the reciprocal associations between identity disturbance, relationship disturbance, and suicidal ideation by using a three‐wave cross‐lag model in a sample of adolescents. Method A number of 3,600 Chinese adolescents (56.6% females, mean age = 14.58 years) completed questionnaires assessing the three main study variables as well as depressive symptoms, anxiety, and suicidal attempts three times at 6‐month intervals. Results After controlling for gender, age, depressive symptoms, anxiety, and suicidal attempts, relationship disturbance significantly predicted suicidal ideation over time, and vice versa. Suicidal ideation significantly predicted identity disturbance over time, but not vice versa. We also found the mediating effect of relationship disturbance in the path from identity disturbance to suicidal ideation. Conclusion The results suggested the important role of previous relationship disturbance in predicting later suicidal ideation. Theoretical and clinical implications of these findings were discussed.