Suicidality and social cognition: the association between hypomentalizing and suicide lethality

Abstract

Introduction Suicide attempts (SA) leading to highly lethal consequences have been associated with heightened suicide planning (Barker et al., 2022), along with deficits in social cognition (Levi-Belz et al., 2022). Hypomentalizing, characterized by excessive uncertainty regarding mental states, may contribute to heightened social withdrawal and an increased risk of SA (Nestor & Sutherland, 2022). Although certain studies have identified a connection between hypomentalizing profiles and self-harm (Badoud et al., 2015), research into the lethality of SA remains limited. Objectives This study aimed to explore the association between hypomentalizing and SA lethality. Methods Our study encompassed a cohort of 1,371 patients who committed a SA. We conducted assessments of mentalizing using the RFQ-8 instrument, and evaluations of suicidal ideation and behavior employing the CSRSS questionnaire. Demographic and clinical characteristics were compared using the T-student and Chi-square tests. To investigate the relationship between hypomentalizing and the SA lethality, we employed logistic regression models. Results Descriptive date are presented in Table 1. Our results show that hypomentalizing do not predict a higher SA lethality. Additionally, hypomentalizing increased the risk of SA planning (p≤0.001, B=-0.182), and SA planning predicted a higher SA lethality (see Table 2). Table 1. Means Comparison for low and high lethality (N=1371) Low lethality N=539 High lethality N=832 p value Effect size Age, mean (SD) 38.65 (15.65) 41.91 (15.37) ≤0.001 -0.209a Female sex, N (%) 392 (72.7) 571 (68.6) 0.116 0.044b Educational years, mean (SD) 12.45 (2.99) 12.43 (3.41) 0.890 0.0076a Employed, N (%) 220 (41.2) 332 (40) 0.692 0.012b Suicide Ideation, N (%) 475 (88.1) 742 (89.2) 0.541 0.016b Suicide Planning, N (%) 159 (39.2) 400 (58.1) ≤0.001 0.183b Number of attempts, mean (SD) 3.28 (5.48) 3.63 (5.74) 0.269 -0.169a RFQ, mean (SD) 4.68 (1.27) 4.56 (1.32) 0.087 0.095a Table 2. Logistic regression analyses for high SA lethality (N=1371). Univariate analysis Multivariate analysis OR p value OR p value Age 1.014 (1.007-1.021) ≤0.001 1.014 (1.005-1.022) 0.001 Female sex 0.820 (0.646-1.042) 0.105 Educational years 0.998 (0.965-1.031) 0.890 Employed 0.952 (0.763-1.187) 0.660 Suicide ideation 1.111 (0.790-1.562) 0.545 Suicide planning 2.150 (1.674-2.761) ≤0.001 2.183 (1.697-2.808) ≤0.001 Number SA 1.012 (0.990-1.034) 0.277 RFQ 0.929 (0.854-1.011) 0.088 Conclusions While the association between hypomentalizing and high SA lethality was not significant, a discernible trend toward such relationship can be noted. Further studies examining the moderating effects of planning in the association between hypomentalizing and SA lethality are required. Disclosure of Interest None Declared