Reducing Suicidal Ideation by Targeting Perceived Burdensomeness

Suicide is a serious public health concern, killing more than 45,000 Americans, annually. To guide research, treatment, and prevention efforts, researchers have proposed many theories of suicide. Among theories, the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (IPTS) has been the focus of substantial study, and much of this work has demonstrated that related constructs (i.e., thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness) are predictors of suicidal ideation. Further, recent meta-analyses have indicated that perceived burdensomeness in particular demonstrates utility as a relatively strong risk factor for suicidal ideation; the latter always or nearly always precedes lethal or near-lethal suicide attempts. Notably, despite substantial investigation into the IPTS and suicidal ideation more generally, the U.S. suicide rate has risen consecutively for the past fifteen years. Treatments for suicidal ideation are generally suboptimal, with suicidal ideation often persisting even after a full course of treatment. An intervention developed to reduce suicidal ideation by targeting perceived burdensomeness, as suggested by the IPTS, has found some support. A brief cognitive bias modification (CBM) directed at perceived burdensomeness prevented the onset of suicidal ideation in adults with elevated thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness, but not suicidal ideation. It is unclear and untested if CBM targeting perceived burdensomeness can reduce suicidal ideation among participants already experiencing clinically significant impairment of suicidal ideation. The present study addressed this gap by targeting perceived burdensomeness in the hopes of reducing suicidal ideation in a treatment- seeking sample of 74 high-risk adults. Findings indicated that by targeting perceived burdensomeness, suicidal ideation was reduced in a sample of high-risk participants.