Chronic negative mood and emotional strengths: Some evidence for using emotions as a specific buffer to the problem of suicide

Abstract

We examined the role of negative affectivity and trait emotional intelligence as predictors of suicide risk (viz., depressive symptoms & suicidal behaviors) in adults. A convenience sample of 456 adult volunteers participated in the present study based on using student-recruited sampling methodology. All participants completed a survey including self-report measures assessing for negative affectivity, trait emotional intelligence, depressive symptoms, and suicidal behaviors. Overall, results of conducting a set of hierarchical regression analyses indicated support for the role of negative affectivity and trait emotional intelligence as predictors of suicide risk. We found evidence for a Negative Affectivity × Trait Emotional Intelligence interaction effect in predicting both depressive symptoms and suicidal behaviors. Importantly, for both outcomes, we found evidence for the use of emotions as a buffer. Specifically, the Negative Affectivity × Emotional Use interaction term was found to be significant in predicting suicide risk, indicating that among adults experiencing chronic negative mood, those who used emotions more, compared to those who used emotion less, reported less risk of suicide. Some implications for understanding the role of trait emotional intelligence, specifically using emotions, as a suicide protective factor are discussed.