The Preliminary Verification Of The Three-step Theory Of Suicide Among Undergraduate Students In China

The theory of suicide from the perspective of ideation-to-action framework emphasizes that the development of suicide ideation and the progression from ideation to suicide attempt are distinct processes with distinct explanations.The present article introduces a specific theory of suicide rooted in the ideation-to-action framework: the Three-Step Theory(3ST),which is relatively parsimonious in that suicide ideation and suicide attempt are explained in terms of just four factors: pain,hopelessness,connectedness,and suicide capacity.Above all,the purpose of the current paper is to revise the Psychache Scale(PAS)and the Suicide Capacity Scale(SCS)among undergraduate students in China,and to apply the PAS and SCS to test the 3ST among undergraduate students.This paper contains five studies as follows:In study 1 and study 2,we revised the PAS and SCS in undergraduate students separately.The results showed that PAS and SCS were reliable and valid instrument,and can be used to measure the level of psychache and sucide capacity.In study 3 to study 5,we tested the 3ST among undergraduate students step by step,which examined the relationship among psychache,hopelessness and current suicidal ideation,the relationship among psychache,hopelessness,connectedness and current suicidal ideation,the relationship between suicide capacity and suicide attempt among undergraduate students in China.The results showed:(1)The first tenet,that suicide ideation is driven by the combination of pain and hopelessness,was strongly supported in 3ST.Pain and hopelessness interacted to predict suicidal ideation.Moreover,the model including pain,hopelessness,and their interaction explained more variability in suicidal ideation than a comparison model including belongingness,burdensomeness,and their interaction.(2)The second tenet that connectedness plays a particularly important protective role against suicidal ideation in those at greatest risk for ideation(i.e.,in those high on both pain and hopelessness)was strongly supported in 3ST.In particular,connectedness,as well as the degree to which participants' connectedness exceeded their pain,predicted lower suicidal ideation among those with combined pain and hopelessness,but relatedly minimally to suicidal ideation for everyone else.(3)The third key tenet of the 3ST was partly supported.Suicide capacity and practical contributors explained the progression from suicide ideation to suicide attempt.Suicide capacity and practical contributors were found to be higher in those with a history of attempted suicide than in those with a history of suicide ideation only,while dispositional,acquired contributors of SCS,and acquired capability of Acquired Capability for Suicide Scale(ACSS)in Interpersonal–psychological model were not significant.In conclusion,the 3ST was supported among undergraduate students in China preliminary.The 3ST has more clinical applicability compared with the Interpersonal-psychological model,and can be guide the suicide prevention and intervention better.