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Hopelessness and suicidal behavior

A Niméus¹, L Träskman-Bendz, M Alsén

¹Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.

Journal of Affective Disorders

|February 1, 1997

Summary

The Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) shows a link to suicide but is not a reliable predictor for hospitalized suicide attempters. It is more closely related to depression and other mood or personality disorders.

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Area of Science:

Psychiatry
Clinical Psychology
Behavioral Science

Background:

Suicidal behavior is a significant public health concern.
Accurate assessment tools are crucial for identifying individuals at risk.
The Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) is a commonly used measure for hopelessness.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the relationship between the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) scores and suicidal behavior in hospitalized suicide attempters.
To analyze the predictive utility of the BHS for future suicide in this clinical population.
To explore the association of the BHS with other clinical variables such as depression and personality disorders.

Main Methods:

A cohort of 212 hospitalized suicide attempters was studied.
Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) scores were collected and analyzed.
Outcomes, including subsequent suicide, were tracked and compared with BHS scores.

Main Results:

Individuals who later died by suicide (N=13) had significantly higher median BHS scores than those who did not.
The overall median BHS score exceeded the suggested cut-off for future suicide risk.
The ratio of correctly identified positive cases to false positives was low, indicating poor predictive accuracy.

Conclusions:

The Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) is not a satisfactory instrument for predicting future suicide in hospitalized suicide attempters.
BHS scores appear to be more strongly related to depression ratings, mood disorders, and/or personality disorders in this population.
Further research is needed to identify more effective predictors of suicide risk in clinical settings.

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