Explaining the Link Between PTSD and Suicide: A Meta-Analysis to Introduce the CEASE Framework
Lily A Brown1, Yiqin Zhu1, Marin Kautz1
1Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Psychological Reports
|January 2, 2026
Summary
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is linked to suicidal ideation. Key factors like defeat, entrapment, and hopelessness significantly correlate with PTSD and suicide risk.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Psychology
- Mental Health
Background:
- Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a recognized risk factor for suicidal ideation and attempts.
- Limited systematic evaluation exists for factors correlating this association.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically evaluate correlates of the association between PTSD and suicidal thoughts and behaviors.
- To integrate findings into a new theoretical framework.
Main Methods:
- Conducted a series of meta-analyses (K = 191 studies, N = 79,106).
- Guided by nine theories on the development of suicidal thoughts and behaviors.
- Quantitatively explored heterogeneity in meta-analyses.
Main Results:
- PTSD showed a moderate association with suicidal thoughts and behaviors.
- Defeat and entrapment had large associations with both PTSD and suicidal behaviors.
- Hopelessness, shame, guilt, anger, and negative cognitions about others had moderate associations.
Conclusions:
- A new framework, the CEASE Framework, is proposed.
- CEASE reflects changes in Cognitions, Emotions, Attention/executive functioning/memory, Sensations/perceptions, and Extreme behaviors.
- This framework may underlie the PTSD-suicide risk association.
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