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Hopelessness and suicidal ideation in older adults
H Uncapher1, D Gallagher-Thompson, N J Osgood
1Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco 94143-0984, USA.
The Gerontologist
|March 21, 1998
Summary
Hopelessness significantly predicts suicidal ideation in elderly males, but only when depression is also present. Assessing both depression and hopelessness is crucial for geriatric suicide prevention.
Area of Science:
- Geriatric Psychiatry
- Mental Health Research
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Suicidal ideation is a significant concern in the elderly population.
- The interplay between hopelessness and depression in geriatric suicide risk is not fully understood.
- Previous research in younger adults suggests hopelessness is a strong predictor of suicidal ideation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the specific role of hopelessness in suicidal ideation among elderly males.
- To examine how the level of depression moderates the relationship between hopelessness and suicidal ideation in this demographic.
Main Methods:
- Recruited sixty institutionalized elderly males.
- Employed multiple regression analyses to assess the relationships between hopelessness, depression, and suicidal ideation.
Main Results:
- Hopelessness was strongly associated with suicidal ideation.
- This relationship was contingent on the severity of depressive symptoms; higher hopelessness increased suicidal ideation risk primarily in those with moderate to severe depression.
- Unlike in younger adults, hopelessness did not outperform depressive symptoms in predicting suicidal ideation in this geriatric cohort.
Conclusions:
- Simultaneous assessment of both depression and hopelessness is vital for accurately evaluating and treating suicidal ideation in elderly males.
- The findings underscore the complex interaction between these psychological factors in geriatric suicide risk.