Abstract
Suicide among adolescents is a significant health concern. Gaining more knowledge about markers that contribute to or protect against suicide is crucial. Perfectionism is found to be a personality trait that is strongly predictive for suicidality; it can be divided into personal standards perfectionism (PS) and concerns about mistakes and doubts perfectionism (CMD). This study investigated the association between PS, CMD, and suicidality in a sample of 273 Dutch secondary school students aged between 12 and 15 years old (M = 13.54, SD = 0.58, 55.8% males). We also examined whether adaptive, or maladaptive cognitive coping strategies influenced these associations. We hypothesized that students high in PS or CMD would experience an increased suicidality. Moreover, we expected that adaptive coping strategies would act as buffer between the association of perfectionism and suicidality, and that maladaptive coping strategies would strengthen this association. For analyses, we used a regression model with latent variables. The results showed that higher scores in perfectionism (PS and CMD) were related to an increase in suicidality. High levels of maladaptive coping in combination with high levels of perfectionism were associated with an increase in suicidality. Although adaptive coping was related to a decrease in suicidality, adaptive coping in interaction with PS and with CMD was not a predictor of suicidality. The results are relevant for prevention, and intervention programs. This paper makes recommendations for clinical practice and further research in order to prevent suicidality in adolescents.
Highlights
Suicide among adolescents is a significant health concern as it is the second leading cause of death in 15–29 year-olds worldwide, and the leading cause of death in Extended author information available on the last page of the article
The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between perfectionism and suicidality in early adolescents, and the moderating role of cognitive coping on these associations
It was expected that concerns about mistakes and doubts perfectionism (CMD) and PS were positively related to suicidality
Summary
Suicide among adolescents is a significant health concern as it is the second leading cause of death in 15–29 year-olds worldwide, and the leading cause of death in Extended author information available on the last page of the article. Given the associations between suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and a completed suicide, it is best to consider the process from suicidal thoughts and ideation to a suicide attempt as a continuum on which the risk for suicide increases as thoughts transform into actions (Joiner 2005). Studies in this field use different synonyms to describe the process before suicide (e.g., suicidal thoughts and behavior [STB], suicidal risk, or suicidality). How to Cope with Perfectionism? Perfectionism as a Risk Factor
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