Meaning in life mediates the association between depressive symptoms and future frequency of suicidal ideation in Spanish university students: A longitudinal study.

INTRODUCTION: There is a need for longitudinal studies that focus on protective factors against suicide in Spain. We analyzed the estimated prevalence of suicidal ideation in a sample of Spanish university students. Second, we explored the relationship between future suicidal ideation, depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation at T1, and meaning in life and its dimensions of meaning and purpose. Third, we analyzed the mediation role of meaning in life between depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation evaluated with Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA). METHOD: In this longitudinal study, a total of 718 Spanish university students were assessed at T1, of whom 279 completed questionnaires along with EMA (T2). RESULTS: The estimated prevalence of suicidal ideation was 8.4%. Levels of depressive symptoms were positively correlated with suicidal ideation and negatively with meaning in life and its dimensions of meaning and purpose. Meaning in life and its dimensions mediated the relationship between depressive symptoms and subsequent suicidal ideation. DISCUSSION: There is a high prevalence of suicidal ideation among Spanish university students, and it is associated with depressive symptoms and meaning in life, with the latter acting as a protective factor. Thus, psychotherapeutic prevention programs from a logotherapeutic perspective could help to reduce students' suicide risk.

Meaning in life among adolescents: Factorial invariance of the purpose in life test and buffering effect on the relationship between emotional dysregulation and hopelessness.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present study was threefold: first, to analyse the psychometric properties of a 10-item Spanish version of the Purpose in Life Test, which assesses meaning in life (MiL), in a sample of community adolescents; second, to analyse the differences between the age and gender groups; and third, to analyse whether MiL buffers the relationship between emotional dysregulation and hopelessness. METHOD: Participants were 1,599 adolescents from 12 to 19 years old, M = 15.69, SD = 2.14. The Purpose in Life Test-10 Items, the Beck Hopelessness Scale, and the Difficulties in Emotional Regulation Scale were used. RESULTS: A nine-item version showed good fit, psychometric properties (internal consistency, construct, and concurrent validity), and factorial invariance across gender and age (12-15 years/16-19 years). Difference in MiL between boys and girls was not significant, whereas between age groups was significant. MiL had a strong buffering effect on the relationship between emotional dysregulation and hopelessness. DISCUSSION: It is desirable to promote the sense of MiL in adolescents. MiL plays a significant and strong mediator role in the relationship between emotional dysregulation and hopelessness, reinforcing the positive role of MiL in mental health and as a resource for facing adversity.

The role of hopelessness and meaning in life in a clinical sample with non-suicidal self-injury and suicide attempts / El papel de la desesperanza y el sentido de la vida en una muestra clínica con autolesiones no suicidas e intentos suicidas

Background: Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicide attempts (SA) lie on a continuum of self-harm, and literature has shown that patients with suicidal intent constitute a more severe group. Method: This study aimed to explore differences in the facets of hopelessness (Beck Hopelessness Scale) and meaning in life (Purpose in Life Test) in a clinical sample of 150 patients with a diagnosis of a mental disorder with: a) no NSSI/SA, b) only NSSI, or c) SA/NSSI and SA. Results: The results showed statistically significant differences between the groups in the affective dimension, but they showed similar levels of meaning in life in both groups. Conclusion: These findings highlight that affective hopelessness can lead to suicide attempts, and that meaning in life underlies the continuum of self-harm. Implications for psychotherapeutic interventions are discussed (AU)

Antecedentes: las autolesiones no suicidas y los intentos de suicidio se sitúan en el continuo de las conductas autolesivas, en el que los pacientes con una historia de intentos de suicidio constituyen el grupo de mayor gravedad. Método: en este trabajo nos planteamos explorar diferencias en desesperanza y sus distintas facetas (Escala de Desesperanza de Beck), así como en sentido de la vida (Purpose in Life Test) en una muestra clínica compuesta por 150 pacientes con un diagnóstico de trastorno mental: a) sin autolesiones no suicidas ni intentos de suicidio, b) únicamente con autolesiones no suicidas o c) con intentos de suicidio/ambos tipos de conductas. Resultados: los resultados mostraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre los grupos en desesperanza afectiva y niveles similares en sentido de la vida. Conclusiones: estos resultados subrayan que la desesperanza afectiva se relaciona con los intentos suicidas, y que los niveles bajos de sentido de la vida están a la base de las conductas autolesivas. Se discuten las implicaciones terapéuticas derivadas de estos resultados (AU)

The role of hopelessness and meaning in life in a clinical sample with non-suicidal self-injury and suicide attempts.

BACKGROUND: Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicide attempts (SA) lie on a continuum of self-harm, and literature has shown that patients with suicidal intent constitute a more severe group. METHOD: This study aimed to explore differences in the facets of hopelessness (Beck Hopelessness Scale) and meaning in life (Purpose in Life Test) in a clinical sample of 150 patients with a diagnosis of a mental disorder with: a) no NSSI/SA, b) only NSSI, or c) SA/NSSI and SA. RESULTS: The results showed statistically significant differences between the groups in the affective dimension, but they showed similar levels of meaning in life in both groups. CONCLUSION: These findings highlight that affective hopelessness can lead to suicide attempts, and that meaning in life underlies the continuum of self-harm. Implications for psychotherapeutic interventions are discussed.

Predicting Role of the Meaning in Life on Depression, Hopelessness, and Suicide Risk among Borderline Personality Disorder Patients / Rol predictivo del sentido de la vida sobre la depresión, la desesperanza y el riesgo de suicidio en pacientes con trastorno límite de la personalidad

The relation between the meaning in life and depression, hopelessness, and suicide risk in a sample of Spanish Borderline Personality Disorder patients is analyzed. The hypothesis suggested that meaning in life is a significant negative predictor of these variables. Participants were 80 Borderline Personality Disorder patients (75 women, 5 men) ranged 16-60 years old, M = 32.21, SD = 8.85, from a public mental health service. Spanish adaptations of the Purpose-In-Life Test, the Beck Depression Inventory-II, the Beck Hopelessness Scale, and the Plutchick's Suicide Risk Scale were used. Analysis included descriptive, correlations, and simple linear regression. Results showed that meaning in life was negatively related to depression, hopelessness, and suicide risk. It is necessary to introduce the evaluation of the meaning in life in the assessment of patients with Borderline Personality Disorder and to include in the psychotherapeutic intervention elements to enhance their perception and experience of meaning in life.

Se analizan las relaciones entre sentido de la vida, depresión, desesperanza y riesgo de suicidio en un grupo de pacientes con Trastorno Límite de Personalidad. La hipótesis al respecto afirma que el sentido de la vida predice negativamente de estas variables. En el estudio participaron 80 pacientes españoles con Trastorno Límite de Personalidad (75 mujeres, 5 hombres) de un servicio público de salud mental, con edades entre los 16 y los 60 años. Se utilizaron versiones españolas del Purpose-In-Life Test, del Inventario de Depresión-II y la Escala de Desesperanza de Beck y de la Escala de Riesgo Suicida de Plutchick. Los análisis incluyeron estadísticos descriptivos, correlaciones y regresión lineal simple. Los resultados mostraron que el sentido de la vida se relacionó negativamente con la depresión, la desesperanza y el riesgo de suicidio. Se concluye que hay necesidad de introducir la valoración del sentido de la vida en la evaluación de pacientes con Trastorno Límite de Personalidad y de incluir en la intervención psicoterapéutica elementos para mejorar su percepción y vivencia de sentido de la vida.