Introduction: Depression disorders are frequently considered one of the main causes of suicidality. However, the ability to identify people at risk of suicide using the diagnosis alone is weak, current theories on suicidal behavior do not include depression and further examination is needed to better understand the links between separate depression symptoms and suicidality. The aim of this study was to use the network analysis perspective to explore the relationships between suicidality, psychological constructs directly linked to suicidal ideation in current theories and depression symptoms.
Method: A non-probability sample of 1873 Lithuanian adults (age M=43.61 SD=16.96, 69.1% female) was used with minimum quotas set during sample collection to ensure variability of age, gender and location of residency (rural/city). A survey using online and pen-and-paper formats was conducted, that include measures of lifetime (SBQ-R) and past-month suicidality (SIDAS), depression symptoms (PHQ-8) as well as defeat and entrapment (SDES), hopelessness, thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness (INQ). Network analysis method was used in the analysis.
Results: Feeling down and feeling like a failure had strongest links with past-year suicidal ideation and feeling down was linked to frequency of suicidal ideation over the past month. However, none of the depression symptoms was linked to self-perceived suicide risk, while psychological constructs, specifically perceived burdensomeness and lower hope, were linked with it. Perceived burdensomeness also had the strongest link with the closeness to act on suicidal thoughts over the last month.
Conculsions: Depression symptoms that indicate the person is viewing oneself in a negative way relate to suicidal ideation, but other psychological states, not included in depression symptom assessment, specifically perceived burdensomeness and lack of hope, need to be taken into account to understand the intensity of the persons’ suicidality.