Attachment Styles and Suicide-Related Behaviors in Adolescence: The Mediating Role of Self-Criticism and Dependency.
Insecure attachment and the personality dimensions of self-criticism and dependency have been proposed as risk factors for suicide in adolescents. The present study examines whether self-criticism and dependency mediate the relationship between insecure attachment styles and suicidality. A sample of 340 high-school students (73.2% females), ranging in age from 13 to 20 years (M = 16.47, SD = 1.52), completed the Depressive Experiences Questionnaire for Adolescents, the Depressive Experiences Questionnaire for Adolescents, the Attachment Style Questionnaire, and the Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised. The results partially support the expected mediation effects. Self-criticism, but not dependency, mediates the link between insecure attachment (anxiety and avoidance) and suicide-related behaviors. Implications for suicide risk assessment and management are discussed.
Department of Psychological, Pedagogical and Educational Sciences, University of Palermo , Palermo , Italy.
Giorgio
G
Falgares
Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences, University of Chieti-Pescara , Chieti , Italy.
Daniela
D
Marchetti
Azienda Provinciale per i Servizi Sanitari, Provincia Autonoma di Trento , Trento , Italy.
Sandro
S
De Santis
Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences, University of Chieti-Pescara , Chieti , Italy.
Danilo
D
Carrozzino
Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University , New York, NY , USA.
Daniel C
DC
Kopala-Sibley
Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences, University of Chieti-Pescara , Chieti , Italy.
Mario
M
Fulcheri
Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences, University of Chieti-Pescara , Chieti , Italy.
Maria Cristina
MC
Verrocchio
attachment; depressive experiences questionnaire for adolescents; mediation effect; personality; suicide