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Centre for Policy on Ageing | |
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| Alone? perceived social support and chronic interpersonal difficulties in suicidal elders | | Author(s) | Katrin E Harrison, Alexandre Y Dombrovski, Jennifer Q Morse |
| Journal title | International Psychogeriatrics, vol 22, no 3, May 2010 |
| Pages | pp 445-454 |
| Source | http://www.journals.cambridge.org/ipg doi:10.1017/S1041610209991463 |
| Keywords | Suicide ; Isolation ; Attitude ; Informal care ; Engagement ; Cross sectional surveys ; United States of America. |
| Annotation | Social networks may protect depressed older people against suicidal behaviour. However, conflict in important relationships may undermine the sense of social support, potentially negating the protective effects. Thus, the authors investigated the role of chronic interpersonal difficulties and perceived social support in depressed older people with and without suicidal thoughts and attempts. 106 individuals aged 60+ participated in this cross-sectional, case-control study. They were placed in three groups: suicidal depressed, non-suicidal depressed and non-depressed. Following a detailed clinical characterization, perceived social support (Interpersonal Support Evaluation List) and chronic interpersonal difficulties (Inventory of Interpersonal Problems) were assessed. Using general linear models, the authors explored the relationship between suicidal thoughts or attempts, social support, and chronic interpersonal difficulties. The authors also examined whether lower perceived social support explained the relationship between chronic interpersonal difficulties and suicidal thoughts/attempts. Suicidal depressed older people reported the lowest levels of perceived social support (belonging, tangible support, and self-esteem) and higher levels of chronic interpersonal difficulties (struggle against others and interpersonal hostility), compared to both non-suicidal depressed and non-depressed older people. The relationship between chronic interpersonal difficulties and suicidal behaviour was partially explained by low perceived social support. The experience of strong affects, interpersonal struggle, and hostility in relationships may undermine the sense of social support in depressed elders, possibly leading them to contemplate or attempt suicide. Depressed elders with a history of interpersonal difficulties need to be carefully monitored for suicidal behaviour. (KJ/RH). |
| Accession Number | CPA-100909220 A |
| Classmark | EV: TP: DP: P6: DN: 3KB: 7T |
Data © Centre for Policy on Ageing |
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| ...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing. |
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