Psicothema was founded in Asturias (northern Spain) in 1989, and is published jointly by the Psychology Faculty of the University of Oviedo and the Psychological Association of the Principality of Asturias (Colegio Oficial de Psicología del Principado de Asturias).
We currently publish four issues per year, which accounts for some 100 articles annually. We admit work from both the basic and applied research fields, and from all areas of Psychology, all manuscripts being anonymously reviewed prior to publication.
Sara Moreno-Mansilla1, Jorge J. Ricarte1, and Tom J. Barry2
1 Universidad de Castilla La-Mancha, and
2 The University of Hong Kong
Background: The incidence of suicide attempts peaks during adolescence, with adolescent girls having a higher rate of attempts than boys. Depression is one of the main risk factors of suicidal behaviour and yet not all adolescents with suicidal ideation or attempting suicide have a diagnosable depressive disorder. The present study examined the unique contributions to suicidal ideation and attempting suicide of cognitive processes known to be associated with depression and anxiety, but which are also transdiagnostic: anomalous perception of reality, intolerance of uncertainty, and rumination. Method: 605 adolescents (M= 13.22, SD= 1.03, 47% girls) were evaluated in a cross-sectional study. Results: Multiple linear regression showed that the anomalous perception of reality and intolerance of uncertainty were uniquely associated with the severity of suicidal ideation, even when accounting for symptoms of depression and anxiety, but only amongst girls. In a logistic regression, self-reported depression symptoms, and not underlying cognitive processes, predicted the likelihood of a person having attempted suicide versus not having done so. Conclusions: In adolescent girls, less frequently evaluated transdiagnostic variables may have an important impact on suicidal ideation. However, depression symptoms, and not these transdiagnostic variables, seem to be the greatest contributor to attempting suicide.
Variables Transdiagnósticas y Diferencias de Género en la Ideación y el Intento Suicida Adolescente. Antecedentes: la incidencia del intento suicida repunta en la adolescencia, siendo la depresión uno de los principales factores de riesgo asociados. Esta investigación examina las contribuciones únicas al intento e ideación suicida de variables transdiagnósticas comúnmente asociadas con la depresión y la ansiedad: percepción anómala de la realidad, intolerancia a la incertidumbre y rumiación. Método: se llevó a cabo un estudio transversal en el que se evaluaron a 605 adolescentes (M=13.22, DT= 1.03, 47% chicas). Resultados: la regresión lineal múltiple mostró que, controlando los niveles de depresión y ansiedad, la percepción anómala de la realidad y la intolerancia a la incertidumbre resultaban predictivas de la ideación suicida en chicas. En la regresión logística, los síntomas depresivos auto informados fueron más predictivos del intento suicida que los procesos cognitivos subyacentes. Conclusiones: en las chicas adolescentes, estas variables transdiagnósticas menos evaluadas parecen tener un papel importante en la ideación suicida. Sin embargo, sigue siendo la depresión la variable más predictiva para el intento suicida.