Anhedonia predicts suicidal ideation in a large psychiatric inpatient sample.
This study examined the relationship among symptoms of anhedonia and suicidal ideation at baseline, at termination, and over time in 1529 adult psychiatric inpatients. Anhedonia was associated with suicidality cross-sectionally at baseline and at termination. In addition, change in anhedonia from baseline to termination predicted change in suicidality from baseline to termination, as well as level of suicidality at termination; moreover, anhedonia remained a robust predictor of suicidal ideation independent of cognitive/affective symptoms of depression. Symptom-level analyses also revealed that, even after accounting for the physical aspect of anhedonia (e.g., loss of energy), loss of interest and loss of pleasure were independently associated with higher levels of suicidal ideation at baseline, over time, and at discharge. Loss of interest was most highly predictive of suicidal ideation, providing support for recent differential conceptualizations of anhedonia. Taken together, these findings indicate that the manner in which anhedonia is conceptualized is important in predicting suicidal ideation, and that anhedonia symptoms warrant particular clinical attention in the treatment of suicidal patients.
Department of Psychology, Mississippi State University, P.O. Box 6161, Starkville, MS 39762, USA. Electronic address: e.samuel.winer@msstate.edu.
E Samuel
ES
Winer
Department of Psychology, Mississippi State University, P.O. Box 6161, Starkville, MS 39762, USA.
Michael R
MR
Nadorff
Menninger Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; The Menninger Clinic, Houston, TX, USA.
Thomas E
TE
Ellis
Menninger Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; The Menninger Clinic, Houston, TX, USA.
Jon G
JG
Allen
Menninger Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; The Menninger Clinic, Houston, TX, USA.
Steve
S
Herrera
Department of Psychology, Mississippi State University, P.O. Box 6161, Starkville, MS 39762, USA.
Taban
T
Salem
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D059445:Anhedonia; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
Anhedonia subscale; Depression; Depressive symptoms; Loss of interest; Suicidality; Suicide