Metacognitive model of suicidality: a study of Iranian inpatients.

BACKGROUND

The metacognitive model of suicidality proposes that positive metacognitions about suicide activate suicide-specific rumination, which in turn leads to the activation of negative metacognitions about suicide and an escalating aggravation of suicidal ideation/behavior. Initial studies support the model assumptions. However, investigations in highly burdened inpatient samples as well as studies in non-Western samples are missing by now.

METHODS

A total of 209 Iranian psychiatric inpatients (56.9% female; age M = 31.14, SD = 11.04) took part in a cross-sectional assessment. Self-report measures to assess suicidal ideation/behavior, depressive symptoms, suicide-specific rumination, and metacognitions about suicide were used.

RESULTS

Positive metacognitions about suicide were associated with suicide-specific rumination. Suicide-specific rumination was associated with negative metacognitions about suicide. Suicidal thoughts were positively and positive metacognitions about suicide were negatively associated with lifetime suicide attempts.

CONCLUSION

The results support assumptions of the metacognitive model of suicidality and underscore the importance of metacognitions about suicide and suicide-specific rumination in understanding the suicidal process.