Internal and External Forms of Blame and Disgust and Their Relationships to Suicidal Ideation Within Vulnerable Populations.

Abstract

Suicide risk is elevated among vulnerable populations. We examined two forms of internalization (i.e., self-blame, self-disgust) and externalization (i.e., other-blame, societal-disgust) and their associations with suicidal ideation (SI) in two studies. In Study 1 (n = 967), participants with mood and/or anxiety disorders completed self-report measures at admission and discharge on self-blame, other-blame, and SI. Study 2 (n = 295) investigated similar constructs among a sexual minority sample, with the addition of covariates including internalized homophobia, homophobia experiences, perceived burdensomeness, and thwarted belongingness. In Study 1, self-blame at admission and discharge, but not other-blame at admission or discharge, was significantly associated with SI. Furthermore, their interaction at discharge was significant such that SI was highest for those high in self-blame and low in other-blame. Longitudinally, neither form of blame at admission was associated with SI at discharge, nor was their interaction. In Study 2, self-disgust, societal-disgust, and their interaction were significantly associated with SI beyond self-blame and other covariates. Contrary to Study 1, the form of the interaction was such that SI was highest for those high in both self-disgust and societal-disgust. Significant findings were cross-sectional; thus, future research should longitudinally test brief intervals (e.g., hours to days) to better understand these associations. These studies provide some evidence that self-blame and self-disgust, more so than otherblame and societal-disgust, may be risk factors for SI in clinical and sexual minority groups.