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The Subjective Experience of Problem Irresolvability and Suicidal Behavior: Dynamics and Measurement
Author(s) -
Orbach Israel,
Mikulincer Mario,
Blumenson Rachel,
Mester Robert,
Stein Daniel
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
suicide and life‐threatening behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.544
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1943-278X
pISSN - 0363-0234
DOI - 10.1111/j.1943-278x.1999.tb01053.x
Subject(s) - anxiety , psychology , clinical psychology , scale (ratio) , depression (economics) , suicidal behavior , dynamics (music) , suicide prevention , poison control , psychiatry , medicine , pedagogy , environmental health , physics , quantum mechanics , economics , macroeconomics
This article presents the dynamics and measurement of a relatively unstudied concept in children's and adolescents' suicidal behavior: the subjective experience of problem irresolvability (SEPI). This concept relates to the youngsters' sense of lack of control due to being pressured to resolve irresolvable problems within the family circle. The first study describes the construction and factor analysis of the SEPI scale as well as its relationship to suicidal tendencies, perceived parental care, and self‐esteem. The second study presents a repeated factor analysis and the association between the SEPI scale and suicidal tendencies, hopelessness, depression, anxiety, and commitment to parents. The results suggest that the scale has a 4‐factor structure with sound psychometric properties that distinguish successfully between suicidal adolescents on the one hand, and psychiatric and normal adolescents on the other. The SEPI was also found to be associated with the various studied variables.