Psychological distress and suicidality: investigating the role of perfectionism and autobiographical memory in a sample of deliberate self-harmers (original) (raw)

Psychiatria Danubina, 2006

Abstract

Objective: Previous research has implicated personality and cognitive factors in the experience of suicidal thoughts and behaviours. On the basis of two psychological models of suicide (Escape from Self; Baumeister, 1990; Cry of Pain, Williams, 1997), this study investigated an integrative model involving the relationship between perfectionism, motivation (behavioural inhibition/adaptation systems, BIS/BAS), and autobiographical memory recall to predict psychological distress (hopelessness, depression/anxiety, suicide ideation). Methodology: 40 patients who had been admitted to a west of Scotland hospital following an episode of deliberate self-harm participated in the study and were followed up 6 weeks later. The patients completed the Autobiographical Memory Task and were assessed on measures of hopelessness, depression/anxiety, suicidality, perfectionism, and motivation at Time 1. They completed measures of suicidality and distress at Time 2. Results and Discussion: Hierarchical regression analyses showed that socially prescribed perfectionism interacted with over-general recall of both positive and negative memories to predict changes in psychological distress/suicide ideation. In addition perfectionism both mediated and moderated the relationship between BIS and psychological distress. The theoretical and clinical implications are discussed. Language: en

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