Body Regard as a Volitional Factor for Suicide Attempts: Implications for Ideation to Action Frameworks

One's relationship with, attitudes toward, and subjective experiences of the body have been theorized to contribute to self-preservation and self-destruction. These components of body regard have demonstrated associations with suicidal thoughts and behaviors but remain understudied. This study examined whether body regard acts as a moderator of the relationship between suicide ideation and attempts as well as its effect on the relationships of other established suicide risk factors.

A random sample survey of 2021 young adults was conducted assessing body regard, fearlessness about death, depression, anxiety, stress, lifetime NSSI, and past year suicide ideation and attempts.

A logistic regression analyses revealed that body regard was a significant predictor of past year suicide attempt, alongside NSSI, and suicide ideation. Follow-up moderation analyses found that body regard significantly moderated the effect of suicide ideation such that ideation was only significantly associated with suicide attempts when body regard was low. High body regard also weakened the effect of ideation on attempts across levels of NSSI.

Body regard may operate as a volitional factor for suicide attempts while also buffering the moderating relationships of other risk factors. Etiological models, assessment, and treatments aimed at addressing suicide risk should include attention to one's body regard.