Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Alexis May
Live Poster Session: Zoom Link
Abstract: Suicide has emerged as a significant public health concern, garnering increased attention in recent years. Studies consistently highlight that a stronger sense of meaning in life correlates with reduced levels of suicidal ideation, while limited cognitive flexibility raises the future suicide risk. This study utilizes Hierarchical Linear Modeling with repeated measures to examine the relationships among suicidal ideation, meaning in life, and cognitive flexibility. The sample was drawn from a larger study where 91 patients and their partners were recruited from three inpatient psychiatric units at a community hospital in the Mountain West. Only patients’ data collected at baseline and at 1, 3, and 6 months post-discharge were included in this analysis (n=91). The findings underscore that meaning in life consistently serves as a protective factor against suicidal ideation over time. Additionally, lower levels of meaning in life are associated with higher suicidal ideation, regardless of cognitive flexibility. Clinically, interventions aimed at enhancing meaning in life hold promise for reducing suicidal ideation. However, further research with a larger sample size is necessary to fully explore the potential of cognitive flexibility as a therapeutic target.
Copy-of-Larissa_QAC_Poster_Final.pptx