The Revision And Application Of The Acquired Capability For Suicide Scale

Within the framework of the interpersonal theory of suicide(ITS), the acquired capability for suicide is viewed as the factor that differentiates individuals who die by suicide versus those who have the desire to die, but are unable to act on that desire.Both indirect and direct lines of research provide some validity evidence for the construct. However, there has been no research that systematically explores the nature and measurement of the acquired capability for suicide. Above all, the intention of the current paper is:(1) to revise the Acquired Capability for Suicide Scale(ACSS) which is designed by Joiner and his team members as a measure of the capability for suicide,and examine the factor structure, reliability and validity of the Chinese version of Acquired Capability for Suicide Scale(ACSS-CV).(2) To apply the ACSS-CV to test the ITS among Chinese college students. This paper contains the following three studies:In study 1, Research was conducted to revise the ACSS in college students. By translating and back translation the ACSS from literature and adding items to the scale through related questionnaires, the final ACSS-CV was composed. Reliability and validity of the ACSS-CV was analyzed among 403 college students. Through two item analyses and confirmatory factor analyses(CFA), the ACSS-CV was formed with two factors(i.e. fearlessness and pain tolerance) including 12 items. Both internal consistency reliability and retest reliability of the ACSS-CV were above 0.700. In sum,statistical analysis showed that the ACSS-CV had good reliability and validity.In study 2, Research was conducted to examine the relation between two interpersonal variables of IPS and current suicidal ideation with thwarted belongingness(TB), perceived burdensomeness(PB) as independent variables and current suicidal ideation as dependent variable among 642 college students. The results showed that both TB and PB were significantly correlated with suicidal ideation. The interaction of TB and PB still significantly predicted current suicidal ideation even after statistically controlling for age, gender and depressive symptoms.When TB at a high level, the relationship between PB and suicidal ideation was significant.In study 3, Research was conducted to examine the relation between three variables of IPS and suicide risk with thwarted belongingness(TB), perceived burdensomeness(PB), and acquired capability(ACS) as independent variables and suicide risk as dependent variable among 642 college students. The results showedthat ACS was not significantly correlated with suicide risk. Contrary to prediction,neither the interaction between any two variables nor the interaction of the three variables was significant.