Naoyuki Sunami

The Mediating Roles of Hostility and Dissociation in the Relationship Between Sexual Assault and Suicidal Thinking in College Students

Sexual assault and suicide are two serious public health concerns. Research has documented the relationship between sexual assault and suicidal thinking and attempts; however, limited research explores the more multifaceted relationships between posttraumatic stress reactions and suicidal ideation in college students through unsuccessful modulation of emotion. The authors hypothesized a mediation model where the relationship between sexual assault and suicidal ideation is mediated by dissociation and hostility. In total, 1,677 undergraduate students were administered modified versions of the Traumatic Life Events Questionnaire (TLEQ), Symptom Checklist–90–Revised (SCL-90-R), and Peritraumatic Dissociative Experiences Questionnaire (PDEQ). The results revealed both significant partial but equal mediators of hostility and dissociation. However, a portion of the direct effect between sexual assault and suicidal ideation remained unaccounted for by indirect effects. The current model supports previous work on dialectical behavior therapy that says either side of the dialectic between extreme expression and suppression of hostility increases the likelihood of suicidal thinking after sexual assault. With sexual assault survivors, practitioners should use strategies that emphasize both anger expression and healthy avoidance as a way to modulate emotion to potentially reduce suicidal thoughts. Future research should focus on different gender models, additional possible mediators such as alcohol use and guilt, and different forms of sexual assault. Limitations of the correlational, cross-sectional methodology are discussed.

Threats to Belonging Threaten Health: Policy Implications for Improving Physical Well-Being:

Human beings have an innate need to form caring social bonds and be loved by others. Thwarting this basic human need should have negative health consequences. This article begins by reviewing empirical evidence linking belonging threats to concrete health outcomes and medical conditions. Next, alterations in immune function and appetite regulation are examined as two peripheral physiological mechanisms that partially explain how threats to belonging impact health. Empirically supported interventions that attenuate threats to belonging are also discussed. Throughout, the article focuses on loneliness, marital distress, and lack of perceived social support as three indices of belonging threats because they are commonly studied in the health context. Improving belonging, via reducing loneliness and marital distress and increasing social support, should thus be a focus for policy makers.

Threats to Belonging, Immune Function, and Eating Behavior: an Examination of Sex and Gender Differences

Purpose of ReviewThe first goal of this review is to discuss the evidence linking belonging threats to immune function and food intake. The second goal is to evaluate whether the links among belonging threats, immune function, and eating behavior differ based on gender.Recent FindingsThreats to belonging are linked to elevated herpesvirus antibody titers, dysregulated appetite-relevant hormones, and increased food consumption. Furthermore, these relationships are largely consistent for both men and women. Threats to belonging are also linked to elevated inflammation. However, some studies showed that these effects were stronger among women, others demonstrated that they were stronger among men, and others determined that the links were consistent for men and women.SummaryUnderstanding why belonging threats are inconsistently linked to inflammation across men and women is an important next step. We conclude the review with four concrete recommendations for researchers studying belonging threats, immune function, and eating behavior.

The Role of Alcohol Problems in the Association Between Intimate Partner Abuse and Suicidality Among College Students.

Objective: Intimate partner abuse is a prevalent public health issue among college students and has been associated with suicidality and alcohol abuse. Evidence suggests that alcohol-related problems mediate the relationship between intimate partner abuse and suicidality, but it is limited to suicidal ideation among women. We aimed to expand the applicability of an existing mediation model by incorporating multiple indicators for intimate partner abuse and suicidality using a nationally representative sample of college students. Method: We used data from the National College Health Association Survey (N = 88,568). Key variables included involvement in intimate partner abuse (psychological, physical, and sexual), involvement in alcohol-related problems, and suicide-related behaviors (self-harm, ideation, and attempt). Results: We used structural equation modeling to test the mediation model. Results showed that alcohol-related problems partially mediated the association between abusive relationship involvement and suicidality. Furthermore, this association was equally present across men and women. Conclusions: Results demonstrate that psychological, physical, and sexual abuse involvement lead to self-harm, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts via problematic alcohol use. The partial mediation by alcohol-related problems suggests the potential benefit of treatment focusing on both problematic alcohol use and intimate partner abuse in preventing suicidality.