Examining Highly Novel Positive Future Thinking in Suicidal and Nonsuicidal Adolescents

Although traditionally considered protective, certain forms of positive future thinking (PFT) may be associated with greater suicide risk. In this first a priori investigation of potential maladaptive forms of PFT, we tested whether novelty (i.e., dissimilarity to past experiences) and lack of attainment of the imagined positive future may explain counterintuitive associations between PFT and suicidal ideation (SI).

At baseline, adolescents (N = 76, ages 12-19) completed a behavioral measure of PFT (i.e., Future Thinking Task) and rated the novelty of each positive future thought. At the 3-month follow-up, we measured attainment of the positive future events generated at baseline by asking adolescents whether the event happened and, if it did, if it was as positive as had been imagined at baseline. Past-month SI severity was assessed at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months.

PFT, only when highly novel, was associated with stronger recent SI severity at baseline, above and beyond depressive symptoms. It also significantly predicted recent SI severity 3 and 6 months later, although not after we controlled for baseline SI severity. Novelty of the imagined positive future was not related to whether the event happened. However, when those events did happen, adolescents who imagined more novel events tended to experience them less positively than imagined, which separately predicted stronger recent SI severity at the 6-month follow-up.

Results support that PFT is a heterogeneous construct that is not uniformly beneficial. Better understanding potential pitfalls of PFT may help us discern how to best incorporate PFT into clinical interventions.