Suicide and impossible worlds: an empirical investigation of worlds theory

Crisis
Nora Bunford, Raymond M Bergner

Abstract

Suicide has a devastating impact on both survivors and society, and many obstacles to improving prevention efforts stem from our inadequate understanding of suicidality. A potential source of this shortcoming is that the majority of empirical studies focus only on a single specified etiology of suicide. To address this limitation, we present a further promising way to understand the suicidal state. We do so (1) by providing a brief review of something known as worlds theory (Bergner, 2006), and (b) by presenting the results of a study exploring the relationship between a person's taking it that his or her world is impossible/nonviable and his or her suicidal state. In this research, participants were asked to assess the perceived levels of world viability (vs. impossibility/nonviability) of 12 actual persons depicted in clinical vignettes. As predicted, participants judged the worlds of suicidal committers significantly more nonviable than those of suicide attempters, and these in turn significantly more nonviable than those of mentally disordered but nonsuicidal persons. These findings indicate that the worlds of suicidal persons are unlivable--in worlds terms: impossible. We discuss implications of these findings for understa...Continue Reading

References

Jun 1, 1978·The Biochemical Journal·K J Ellis, R G Duggleby
Dec 1, 1976·Journal of Communication Disorders·J M Berecz
Jul 1, 1984·American Journal of Psychotherapy·E S Shneidman
Mar 1, 1993·The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease·E S Shneidman
May 23, 1998·Southern Medical Journal·C L FieldsR P Byrd
Nov 3, 1996·Quality in Health Care : QHC·A MelvilleT Sheldon
Mar 24, 2000·The Psychiatric Clinics of North America·T Millon
Apr 4, 2000·Journal of Personality Disorders·T Millon
Jul 19, 2003·Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association·Andrew C Lotterman
Mar 25, 2006·American Journal of Psychotherapy·Raymond M Bergner
Nov 7, 2006·The American Journal of Bioethics : AJOB·Pilar N Ossorio
Feb 13, 2007·Journal of Clinical Epidemiology·John P Anderson, Troy L Holbrook
Oct 23, 2009·American Journal of Psychotherapy·Raymond M Bergner
Feb 23, 2010·Suicide & Life-threatening Behavior·Heidi Hjelmeland, Birthe Loa Knizek

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Aug 30, 2013·The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry·Saxby Pridmore, Garry Walter
Oct 20, 2012·Australasian Psychiatry : Bulletin of Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists·Saxby Pridmore, Garry Walter

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.