Changes in Daily Behaviors and Cognitions During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Associations With Suicide Crisis Syndrome and Suicidal Ideation

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in drastic disruptions to lives and possible pernicious impacts on mental health, including suicidality. Understanding these relations, as well as impacts on at-risk populations, is essential. The present study examined changes in daily behaviors and cognitions after the implementation of physical/social distancing mandates in individuals with symptoms of suicide crisis syndrome (SCS) and/or suicidal ideation. Adults (N = 5,528) across 10 countries completed online self-report measures. There were significant main effects of time and various configurations of interactions between time, SCS, and suicidal ideation in predicting behaviors (outdoor and social engagements) and cognitions (thoughts about health, finances, and living situation). Cross-culturally, individuals with more severe SCS symptoms generally had the largest changes in behaviors and cognitions, though this effect was not replicated across all countries. Overall, these findings highlight the implications of the potentially mutually exacerbating influences of routine disruptions and suicide risk and the importance of examining associations cross-culturally.

Associations between long-term and near-term stressful life events, suicide crisis syndrome, and suicidal ideation

The suicide crisis syndrome (SCS) and suicidal ideation (SI) are differentially linked to short-term suicide risk. Since both are theoretically and empirically linked to stressful life events, which have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, a clear understanding of these processes may be essential for suicide prevention. Thus, the present study examined (a) associations between SCS, SI, and total number of stressful life events and (b) relations between specific types of stressful life events, SCS, and SI. Participants (N = 5,528) across 10 participating countries completed an anonymous online battery of self-report measures assessing stressful life events, SCS symptoms, and SI during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a negative binomial regression, the association between SCS and the total number of stressful life events was approximately two to three times stronger than that of the relation between SI and the number of stressful life events. Relationship-related and role/identity-related stressors were most consistently related to SCS and SI cross-nationally. Remaining vigilant of the link between stressful life events, SI, and SCS is imperative in preventing suicide. During the COVID-19 pandemic, SCS has a stronger relationship to stressful life events than SI in a way that appears relatively invariant to cross-cultural differences. SCS and SI may identify two divergent pathways to suicidal behavior. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)