(PS13-61) Understanding Suicidal and Life-oriented Cognition and Affect: A Cross-sectional and Longitudinal Investigation of Contributing Factors

Despite the well-established effectiveness of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) in reducing suicide risk, there remains a significant research gap in understanding the dialectical processes inherent to suicidality. Suicidal individuals experience a profound internal struggle between the desire to live and the desire to die, reflecting a dialectical perspective where life represents the thesis and death the antithesis (Kovacs & Beck, 1977). The Three-Step Theory (3ST) posits that pain and hopelessness play a pivotal role in the development of suicide ideation, with the strength of suicide ideation determined by the relative presence of pain and connectedness (Klonsky & May, 2013). This research seeks to incorporate a life-oriented perspective into the 3ST, examining how hopelessness, pain, and connectedness contribute to both suicidal cognition (e.g., wish to die) and affect (e.g., positive feelings about death), as well as life-oriented cognition (e.g., wish to live) and affect (e.g., positive feelings about life), both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Furthermore, we will explore whether hopelessness and pain moderate the relationship between connectedness and life-oriented cognition and affect, as well as whether connectedness moderates the relationship between pain and hopelessness and suicidal cognition and affect. A sample of 315 community adults participated in an online study at baseline and one-week follow-up. All participants reported multiple episodes of suicidal ideation in the past month, with 35% reporting a lifetime history of suicide attempts. Data will be analyzed using structural equation modeling. This study holds the potential to deepen our understanding of the dialectical nature of suicidality and underscores the importance of integrating dialectical principles into suicide prevention and treatment approaches.