Cognitive reactivity, suicidal ideation and future fluency: Preliminary investigation of a differential activation theory of hopelessness/suicidality

Journal article

The authors investigated whether the re-emergence of hopeless/suicidal cognitions over time can be explained within a differential activation framework. Studies 1 (N = 146) and 2 (N = 136) showed that individuals who reported suicidal ideation when depressed in the past had higher scores on the hopelessness/suicidality subscale of a measure assessing cognitive reactivity to low mood, the LEIDS. Study 3 (N = 32) demonstrated that self-reports on this subscale predicted changes in generativity for positive future events, an experimental measure of processes underlying hopelessness/suicidality, following sad mood induction. The results provide preliminary evidence that history of suicidal ideation is related to a specific cognitive response pattern, which may be reactivated by mild fluctuations in mood. © 2007 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.

Authors: Williams, J; Van der Does, A; Barnhofer, T; Crane, C; Segal, Z

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: COGNITIVE THERAPY AND RESEARCH
• Volume: 32
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 83-104
• Publication date: 2008-02-01
• DOI: 10.1007/s10608-006-9105-y
• EISSN: 1573-2819
• ISSN: 0147-5916
• Language: English
• Keywords: vulnerability; hopelessness; suicide; future thinking; rumination; depression; differential activation theory; cognitive reactivity; recurrence