Attachment Security and Suicide Ideation and Behaviour: The Mediating Role of Reflective Functioning

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Clinical Psychology
• Mental Health

Background:

• Attachment difficulties are linked to suicidal thinking and behavior.
• Mentalisation (reflective functioning) is associated with reduced suicidal behavior.
• The role of reflective functioning in suicidal ideation remains under-investigated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the link between adult attachment security and suicidal ideation.
• To investigate if reflective functioning deficits mediate this relationship.

Main Methods:

• 67 participants with recent suicidal ideation completed self-report measures.
• Measures included adult attachment, suicidal ideation, reflective functioning, depression, and hopelessness.
• Analyses included partial correlations, mediation, and group comparisons.

Main Results:

• Reflective functioning did not mediate the relationship between attachment security and suicidal ideation.
• Attachment avoidance showed a direct link with suicidal ideation.
• Anxious attachment was higher in participants with a history of suicide attempts.

Conclusions:

• Attachment anxiety and avoidance play distinct roles in suicidal attempts versus ideation.
• Interventions for suicide attempts should address attachment anxiety and emotional regulation.
• Interventions for suicidal ideation should address attachment avoidance and relationship building.
• Further longitudinal and experimental research is needed to confirm causality.