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Perceived Burdensomeness and Suicide‐Related Behaviors in Clinical Samples: Current Evidence and Future Directions

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Journal of Clinical Psychology

Published online on

Abstract

Context The interpersonal‐psychological theory of suicide identifies perceived burdensomeness as a primary component of suicidal desire and a possible point of intervention for suicide prevention. A growing literature has explored the relationship between perceived burdensomeness and suicide‐related behaviors. Objective The aim of this review is to integrate the evidence, identify critical gaps in the evidence‐base, and explore implications for translation to prevention and intervention science. Methods Papers published that reported on the association between perceived burdensomeness and suicide‐related behaviors were included. Results The literature indicates (a) significant cross‐sectional associations between perceived burdensomeness and suicidal ideation and suicide attempts and (b) that perceived burdensomeness acts as either a moderator or a mediator of the association between risk and protective factors and suicide‐related behaviors. Conclusion Research is needed to examine the longitudinal association between perceived burdensomeness and suicide‐related behaviors, develop additional measurement approaches, generalize findings to other samples, and begin translating findings to prevention and intervention science.