ABSTRACT In this paper, we examine people’s experiences of Ofsted, the state school inspectorate in England. From thematic analysis of the 233 written submissions published by the Education Committee Parliamentary Inquiry into Ofsted, we argue that the inspectorate can lead to teachers experiencing suicidal ideation (suicidal thoughts and feelings). Our analysis suggests 229 submissions (98%) contained negative comments about Ofsted, including accounts of teacher suicidal ideation. Whilst attempting to perform for Ofsted, teachers experience a ‘disturbed’ working environment leading to, for some, suicidal ideation. Consequently, rather than inspections and the inspectorate being simply performative, we contend they are performatively harmful, potentially putting children at risk. Drawing on Durkheim’s theory of anomic and fatalistic suicide, we argue teacher suicidal ideation is an urgent issue, for which Ofsted and the Department for Education have responsibility. We conclude Ofsted and the government’s responses to the concerns of the submissions to be far from adequate since the substantive criticisms about how the inspectorate operates and inspections are conducted remain unresolved.

Visual snow syndrome (VSS) is a chronic neurological disorder associated with impaired mental health. While self-efficacy and quality of life (QOL) are known to influence mental health outcomes (depression and suicidal ideation) in clinical populations, their roles in VSS remain unexplored. This study aimed to examine the associations among VSS, self-efficacy, QOL, mental health outcomes and the potential serial mediation roles of self-efficacy and QOL. A cross-sectional study compared 64 VSS patients and 67 healthy controls matched with age, sex and education level. Participants completed validated questionnaires assessing self-efficacy (GSES), QOL (WHOQOL-BREF), depression (CES-D), and suicidal ideation (BSSI, first five items). Analyses included group comparisons, correlation analyses to examine variable relationships, multimodel linear regression and serial mediation modeling to test the hypothesized sequential pathway from VSS through self-efficacy and quality of life to mental health outcomes. Compared with controls, VSS patients demonstrated significantly lower self-efficacy (VSS: 23.6 ± 6.2; Controls: 30.6 ± 6.0; p < 0.001) and QOL (VSS: 62.5 ± 9.5; Controls: 73.6 ± 8.8; p < 0.001), alongside elevated depression (median [IQR]: VSS: 28 [21,34]; Controls: 11 [7, 15]; p < 0.001) and suicidal ideation (VSS: 6 [5, 7]; Controls: 5 [5,6]; p < 0.01). Serial mediation analysis revealed that the effects of VSS on depression and suicidal ideation were mediated through self-efficacy and QOL sequentially. The total indirect effect for depression was 7.73 (95% CI [5.64-9.85]), with QOL accounting for 49.09% of the total effect. For suicidal ideation, the total indirect effect was 0.80 (95% CI [0.39-1.22]). Lower self-efficacy and QOL appear to serially mediate the associations between VSS and mental health impairments. These preliminary, cross-sectional findings indicate that self-efficacy and QOL may serve as modifiable intervention targets that mediate or moderate the risk of depression and suicidal ideation in individuals with VSS. Clinicians should prioritize routine assessments of these factors to guide early intervention strategies, although longitudinal studies are needed to confirm these causal pathways.

Forced migration, as exemplified by the ongoing Syrian refugee crisis, has been consistently associated with elevated rates of psychiatric conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, and increased suicide risk. However, the psychological mechanisms linking trauma-related symptoms to suicide risk in refugee populations remain insufficiently understood. The present study examines the mediating role of anxiety sensitivity in the relationship between PTSD symptoms and suicide risk among Syrian refugees residing in Turkey. Data were collected from 627 Syrian refugees aged 18-65 years living in Bursa province. Participants completed validated self-report measures assessing PTSD symptoms (Impact of Event Scale-Revised; IES-R), depression (Beck Depression Inventory; BDI), anxiety sensitivity (Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3; ASI-3), and suicide risk (Suicide Probability Scale; SPS). Elevated PTSD symptom levels were observed in 81.2% of the sample. Logistic regression and mediation analyses were conducted to examine associations between PTSD symptom clusters, anxiety sensitivity dimensions, and suicide risk. Results indicated that intrusion and hyperarousal symptoms were positively associated with suicide risk, whereas avoidance symptoms and physical concern (ASI-3 subscale) were negatively associated. Mediation analysis revealed that cognitive concern-defined as fear of losing mental control-partially mediated the association between PTSD symptoms and suicidal ideation (SPS suicidal ideation subscale). Taken together, these findings suggest that maladaptive interpretations of cognitive distress may represent a clinically relevant target for reducing suicide risk in trauma-exposed refugee populations. In contrast, avoidance and heightened awareness of bodily sensations may function as temporary protective strategies in the context of overwhelming stress. Overall, the findings underscore the importance of trauma-informed interventions that prioritize suicide stabilization in forcibly displaced individuals prior to the initiation of PTSD-focused treatment.

Suicide ideation and attempts account for over half of emergency department visits among adolescents in the United States. Social connectedness has been identified as a protective factor, yet little is known about its role in the moments during a suicidal crisis. We examined adolescents' retrospective anticipation of others' emotional reactions to their prospective death by suicide as an indicator of perceived social (dis)connectedness during a suicidal crisis. Qualitative responses from a clinical sample of 104 adolescents (79 female), ages 12-19, with recent suicide ideation or attempt were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Three superordinate themes were developed: (1) living for others: social bonds as protective anchors, (2) social disconnection and emotional disengagement, and (3) navigating dynamic social connections: protective or risk amplifying. These findings suggest that suicide-related interventions should address adolescents' perceptions of social (dis)connectedness and target both interpersonal and intrapersonal factors during moments of crisis to improve clinical outcomes.

ABSTRACT Suicide is a leading cause of death worldwide, and is one of the most devastating, complex, and perplexing of all human behaviors. Unfortunately, despite centuries of scientific and scholarly inquiry, suicidal thoughts and behaviors remain exceedingly difficult to understand, predict, and prevent. Fortunately, recent advances in mathematical, computational, and digital methods are providing new opportunities to capture and model the immense complexity of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. In this paper, we first provide a brief review of existing literature and then identify four priorities for future research, including: 1) rigorous conceptual and descriptive research, 2) formal theory development and refinement, 3) measurement in context and over time, and 4) prediction of group- and individual-level suicide risk. Finally, we discuss cross-cutting considerations related to ethical dilemmas, enhancing diversity, and training the next generation of scientists. Together, these future directions offer an actionable agenda to guide the future of suicide research and make meaningful progress toward reducing its global burden.

ABSTRACT Objective This evidence base update investigates the empirical support of psychosocial interventions for self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (SITBs) in youth, focusing on the period since the prior review. Method Two major scientific databases (PsycInfo and PubMed) were systematically searched to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published or in press between June 1, 2018 and May 31, 2024. Results The search yielded 11 RCTs new to this update and 1 new SITB outcome to an RCT included in the prior review. Since the prior review, Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Adolescents (DBT-A) was reclassified as Level 1: Well-established intervention for reducing adolescent suicide attempts, and Family Therapy was reclassified as Level 2: Probably efficacious for reducing youth suicide ideation (SI). Cognitive behavioral therapy-individual + family was reclassified as Level 4: Experimental for reducing youth suicide attempts. Four new RCTs examining adjunctive skills or boosters for brief interventions were rated as Level 2: Probably Efficacious for reducing SI (adjunctive mindfulness skills + Psychodynamic therapy, adjunctive skills – emotion regulation) or Level 3: Possibly Efficacious for reducing SITBs (adjunctive safety planning interventions). Conclusions DBT-A remains the sole well-established intervention for reducing SITBs, with replication by multiple independent research teams. Half the RCTs identified in this review aimed to replicate or extend prior interventions. Several newly identified trials in this review were primarily adjunctive or brief, demonstrating greater efforts to enhance the availability of interventions for SITBs in youth. Further replication of these adjunctive treatments is needed to clarify their effectiveness and potential for widespread implementation.

Examination of the moderating role of internalizing symptoms in the direct and indirect relationships between alcohol use severity, rumination, and suicidal ideation.

Suicide and suicidal ideation among survivors of acute coronary syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis of prevalence and risk factors.

The influence of interpersonal relationships on self-harm, suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in adolescents: A cross-sectional study in Eastern China.

Alterations in resting-state ALFF and functional connectivity linked to implicit and explicit suicidal ideations in depression.

Features of suicidal ideation that predict subsequent suicide attempt in three longitudinal cohorts.

Alterations of structural-functional coupling in bipolar disorder patients with suicidal ideation correlated with chronotype.

Prevalence of suicidal ideation and its correlates in young and elderly patients with chronic schizophrenia.

Psychiatric and psychosocial determinants of suicidality: Findings from a national mental health survey in Korea.

Unique quality of life priorities for people with epilepsy and comorbid functional seizures.

Suicidal thoughts and behaviours among construction workers: Identifying risks and protective factors.

Latent profile analysis of childhood trauma in Chinese individuals with bipolar disorder: Differential associations with suicidality and clinical symptomatology.

Identifying gender-specific treatment targets for depression in cancer survivors: Evidence from NHANES.

Defining anhedonia subgroups using the dimensional anhedonia rating scale in active depression: Findings from the Texas resilience against depression study.

Intermittent theta burst stimulation for adolescent patients with major depressive disorder or bipolar depression: A systematic review.