Resilience to suicidal ideation and behaviours in schizophrenia
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Investigating the long-term relationship between resilience and suicidal ideation and behaviours in people with mental health problems on the schizophrenia spectrum
IRAS ID
234080
Contact name
Kamelia Harris
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Manchester
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 1 months, 1 days
Research summary
Schizophrenia is a severe mental health problem which affects 21 million people worldwide (World Health Organisation, 2016). People experiencing schizophrenia are at an increased risk of suicide death and suicidal thoughts and behaviours, compared to the general population. Approximately 5% to 10% of the people with schizophrenia will die by suicide at some point in their life (Hor & Taylor, 2010; Palmer et al., 2005). Suicide represents a major public and health concern in this population.
Factors which increase the risk of suicide death in people with schizophrenia are sex, age, unemployment, poverty (Chan et al., 2016; Hawton, et al., 2005; Popovic et al., 2014), hopelessness (Pompili et al., 2007), depression (Hor & Taylor, 2010), previous suicidal behaviours (Chan et al., 2016; Popovic et al., 2014), and psychosis symptoms (e.g., delusions, hallucinations; Hor & Taylor, 2010; Tandon & Jibson, 2003). Although it is important to identify what increases the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviours, it does not explain the psychological processes underpinning these thoughts and behaviours (Bolton et al., 2007; Laursen, Nordentoft, & Mortensen, 2014; Nock et al., 2008).Resilience has not been studied as rigorously nor as frequently as risk factors (Malla & Payne, 2005). The relationship between resilience and suicidal thoughts and behaviours in people with schizophrenia has never been tested in the long term. Longitudinal designs are needed to test whether resilience weakens the relationship between suicide risk factors (e.g., defeat, entrapment, hopelessness) and suicidal thoughts and behaviours over time. This study design offers greater statistical power compared to cross-sectional studies, due to the repeated assessments at an individual level (van der Krieke et al., 2016). A three-month follow-up period was selected to allow for individual experiences of resilience to suicidal thoughts and behaviours to develop over time, and was considered feasible, due to the time constraints in completing the PhD project.
REC name
North West - Greater Manchester Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/NW/0181
Date of REC Opinion
10 Apr 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion