Suicidality and self-compassion in patients with major depressive disorder: the mediating role of the avoidant attachment type
Despite recent studies establishing self-compassion and secure attachment to be vital protective factors against suicidality, the role of attachment as a psychological mechanism that may mediate the relationship between self-compassion and suicidality has not been investigated to date. This study a...
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PAGEPress Publications
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Research in Psychotherapy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.researchinpsychotherapy.org/rpsy/article/view/826 |
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| author | Vasiliki Yotsidi Charis Ntakolia Ioanna Rannou Pilios-Dimitris Stavrou Panagiotis Ferentinos Athanasios Douzenis Nikolaos Smyrnis Efthimia Gavriilidou Rossetos Gournellis |
| author_facet | Vasiliki Yotsidi Charis Ntakolia Ioanna Rannou Pilios-Dimitris Stavrou Panagiotis Ferentinos Athanasios Douzenis Nikolaos Smyrnis Efthimia Gavriilidou Rossetos Gournellis |
| author_sort | Vasiliki Yotsidi |
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Despite recent studies establishing self-compassion and secure attachment to be vital protective factors against suicidality, the role of attachment as a psychological mechanism that may mediate the relationship between self-compassion and suicidality has not been investigated to date. This study aims to address this gap by investigating whether attachment styles, specifically avoidant attachment, mediate the link between self-compassion and suicidality in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). 273 adult patients with MDD completed the Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), the Experiences in Close Relationships Scale (ECRS), and the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) along with sociodemographic and clinical questions. Statistical analyses included correlation analysis and Mann- Whitney U tests to examine the relationships and possible differences between the non-suicidal group and the suicidal group of patients in terms of attachment style, self-compassion, and self-destructive behaviors. A mediation analysis to assess the role of attachment avoidance in the relationship between selfcompassion and suicidality was also conducted. Both attachment anxiety and avoidance were positively associated with suicidality and depression and negatively with self-compassion. The patients with increased suicidality differed significantly in the levels of depression, self-compassion, and attachment compared to those who were non-suicidal. The protective mechanism of self-compassion against suicidality was mediated by attachment avoidance. Research findings highlight the need for considering attachment-related issues to understand suicidality and tailor interventions in the field of suicide prevention and treatment while they gauge treatment priorities in working with depressed patients with suicidal thoughts and behaviors.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a7cfe8f145d445d186d8a794941fddba |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2499-7552 2239-8031 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | PAGEPress Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Research in Psychotherapy |
| spelling | doaj-art-a7cfe8f145d445d186d8a794941fddba2025-08-20T02:36:46ZengPAGEPress PublicationsResearch in Psychotherapy2499-75522239-80312024-12-0127110.4081/ripppo.2024.826Suicidality and self-compassion in patients with major depressive disorder: the mediating role of the avoidant attachment typeVasiliki Yotsidi0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7242-2948Charis Ntakolia1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9780-9815Ioanna Rannou 2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5786-1838Pilios-Dimitris Stavrou3Panagiotis Ferentinos4https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8531-5623Athanasios Douzenis 5Nikolaos Smyrnis6Efthimia Gavriilidou7https://orcid.org/0009-0006-3905-4227Rossetos Gournellis 8https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0362-1681Department of Psychology, Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences, Athens; 2nd Department of Psychiatry, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, University General Hospital ATTIKON; School of Social Sciences, Hellenic Open University, Patras Air Force AcademyDepartment of Psychology, National & Kapodistrian University of AthensDepartment of Psychology, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens2nd Department of Psychiatry, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, University General Hospital ATTIKON 2nd Department of Psychiatry, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, University General Hospital ATTIKON 2nd Department of Psychiatry, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, University General Hospital ATTIKON School of Social Sciences, Hellenic Open University, Patras2nd Department of Psychiatry, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, University General Hospital ATTIKON Despite recent studies establishing self-compassion and secure attachment to be vital protective factors against suicidality, the role of attachment as a psychological mechanism that may mediate the relationship between self-compassion and suicidality has not been investigated to date. This study aims to address this gap by investigating whether attachment styles, specifically avoidant attachment, mediate the link between self-compassion and suicidality in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). 273 adult patients with MDD completed the Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), the Experiences in Close Relationships Scale (ECRS), and the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) along with sociodemographic and clinical questions. Statistical analyses included correlation analysis and Mann- Whitney U tests to examine the relationships and possible differences between the non-suicidal group and the suicidal group of patients in terms of attachment style, self-compassion, and self-destructive behaviors. A mediation analysis to assess the role of attachment avoidance in the relationship between selfcompassion and suicidality was also conducted. Both attachment anxiety and avoidance were positively associated with suicidality and depression and negatively with self-compassion. The patients with increased suicidality differed significantly in the levels of depression, self-compassion, and attachment compared to those who were non-suicidal. The protective mechanism of self-compassion against suicidality was mediated by attachment avoidance. Research findings highlight the need for considering attachment-related issues to understand suicidality and tailor interventions in the field of suicide prevention and treatment while they gauge treatment priorities in working with depressed patients with suicidal thoughts and behaviors. https://www.researchinpsychotherapy.org/rpsy/article/view/826Suicidalitymajor depressive disorderattachment styleself-compassionsuicidal ideation |
| spellingShingle | Vasiliki Yotsidi Charis Ntakolia Ioanna Rannou Pilios-Dimitris Stavrou Panagiotis Ferentinos Athanasios Douzenis Nikolaos Smyrnis Efthimia Gavriilidou Rossetos Gournellis Suicidality and self-compassion in patients with major depressive disorder: the mediating role of the avoidant attachment type Research in Psychotherapy Suicidality major depressive disorder attachment style self-compassion suicidal ideation |
| title | Suicidality and self-compassion in patients with major depressive disorder: the mediating role of the avoidant attachment type |
| title_full | Suicidality and self-compassion in patients with major depressive disorder: the mediating role of the avoidant attachment type |
| title_fullStr | Suicidality and self-compassion in patients with major depressive disorder: the mediating role of the avoidant attachment type |
| title_full_unstemmed | Suicidality and self-compassion in patients with major depressive disorder: the mediating role of the avoidant attachment type |
| title_short | Suicidality and self-compassion in patients with major depressive disorder: the mediating role of the avoidant attachment type |
| title_sort | suicidality and self compassion in patients with major depressive disorder the mediating role of the avoidant attachment type |
| topic | Suicidality major depressive disorder attachment style self-compassion suicidal ideation |
| url | https://www.researchinpsychotherapy.org/rpsy/article/view/826 |
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