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Apologies in Crisis: The Link Between Perceived Burdensomeness and Suicide Risk in Online Text Communication
Kenta Ishikawa1, Takato Oyama2, Yoshihiko Tanaka3,4
1Department of Psychology, Faculty of Liberal Arts, Teikyo University, Tokyo, Japan.
Suicide & Life-Threatening Behavior
|November 7, 2025
Summary
Perceived burdensomeness, a factor in suicide risk, can increase apologetic messages in digital communication, especially during interpersonal distress. This highlights potential psychological vulnerability in online interactions.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Digital Communication
- Mental Health
Background:
- Suicide is a major global health concern, necessitating innovative prevention strategies.
- Text-based communication and AI tools like ChatGPT are emerging in suicide risk assessment.
- Understanding how interpersonal distress impacts digital communication is crucial for identifying at-risk individuals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of intolerable interpersonal situations on text-based communication.
- To examine the relationship between perceived burdensomeness and the expression of apologetic messages.
- To explore potential indicators of psychological vulnerability in digital interactions.
Main Methods:
- 120 university students participated in the Interpersonal Persistence Task (IPT).
- Participants were exposed to high and low perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness conditions.
- Communication behaviors, specifically apology expressions, were analyzed in relation to psychological states.
Main Results:
- Higher perceived burdensomeness and desire to escape were reported in the high PB-TB condition.
- Perceived burdensomeness significantly predicted the frequency of apology expressions.
- Apologetic messages may serve as an indicator of psychological distress.
Conclusions:
- Perceived burdensomeness influences apology expression in digital communication during interpersonal distress.
- Apologetic messages, while not direct suicide indicators, may signal psychological vulnerability.
- Further research is needed to validate digital communication patterns as suicide risk markers.
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