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AbstractImplicit self-association with death, measured by the Death/Suicide-Implicit Association Test (D/S-IAT), predicts short-term Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors (SITBs) among adolescents. However, comparing the predictive utility of the D/S-IAT with explicit (i.e. self-report) self-association with life and death was not examined previously. The current study sought to examine whether the D/S-IAT and explicit self-association with life and death predict current and prospective SITBs, and to examine the association between the two measures. One-hundred and thirty-one Jewish Israeli adolescents with SITBs, aged 10-18 years (74.8% female) were assessed at clinic intake. Participants completed D/S-IAT, depression, attitudes toward life and death and suicide risk assessment at intake and one-month follow-up. Implicit, rather than explicit, attitudes toward life and death predicted SITBs at one-month follow-up, beyond depression and past SITBs. The implicit and explicit measures were not significantly related at intake, indicating that they might capture different aspects of SITBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unbearable mental pain experience is recognized as a key antecedent of suicidal behavior. We aimed to examine the precise nature of the mental pain among medically serious suicide attempters (MSSAs), a population closely resembling those who died by suicide. We evaluated various factors of mental pain from the Orbach and Mikulincer Mental Pain Scale, as well as medical lethality and suicide intent. MSSAs were higher than non-MSSAs and psychiatric controls for Irreversibility of pain. Moreover, Emptiness predicted medical lethality, while Cognitive Confusion negatively predicted suicide intent level, controlling for hopelessness and depression. high sense of Irreversibility of pain as well as high Emptiness and low Cognitive Confusion are important risk factors for more severe suicidal behavior. Implications for identification of at-risk groups for suicide as well as for suicide prevention and treatment of suicidal individuals are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]