Race and ethnic differences in hope and hopelessness as moderators of the association between depressive symptoms and suicidal behavior.
OBJECTIVE
The authors examined trait hope and hopelessness as potential moderators of the association between depressive symptoms and suicidal behavior.


METHODS
A diverse sample of 372 college students.


METHODS
Depressive symptoms, hopelessness (Beck Hopelessness Scale), trait hope (Trait Hope Scale), and suicidal behaviors were assessed. Trait hope is defined as confidence in the ability to identify and attain goals, whereas hopelessness encompasses future attitudes and motivation loss.


RESULTS
In independent models, low hopelessness buffered the association between depressive symptoms and suicidal behavior for our whole sample, blacks, and whites, whereas trait hope buffered for Hispanics and whites. Examined simultaneously, hope remained a significant moderator only in whites and hopelessness only in blacks. These findings suggest that etiological and outcome correlates of hope and hopelessness may differ by ethnicity.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings may have implications for development of culturally targeted interventions for college students that strive to simultaneously reduce hopelessness and bolster hopefulness.
Department of Psychology, Laboratory of Rural Psychological and Physical Health, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee 37614, USA. hirsch@etsu.edu
Jameson K
JK
Hirsch
Preston L
PL
Visser
Edward C
EC
Chang
Elizabeth L
EL
Jeglic
D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001213:Asian / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D009511:New England / Q000453:epidemiology; D057566:Self Report; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D013405:Suicide / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D014495:Universities; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult; D000092864:Suicide Prevention