In severely suicidal young adults, hopelessness, depressive symptoms, and suicidal ideation constitute a single syndrome.
BACKGROUND
Despite voluminous research on the role of hopelessness and depression in suicidality, a systematic examination of various causal models pertaining to these variables is conspicuous in its absence.


METHODS
The directions of relationships between the three variables were examined by means of a prospective-longitudinal, cross-lagged, three-wave design in a severely suicidal young adults.


RESULTS
Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analyses revealed synchronous, but not longitudinal, associations between hopelessness, depressive symptoms, and suicidal ideation.


CONCLUSIONS
In severely suicidal young adults, the three clinical constructs appear to constitute a single depressive syndrome.
Shahar
Golan
G
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, IsraelFlorida State University, FL, USA. shaharg@bgu.ac.il
Bareket
Liad
L
Rudd
M David
MD
Joiner
Thomas E
TE
D000328:Adult; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008960:Models, Psychological; D011340:Problem Solving; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D013577:Syndrome