A temporal network analysis of risk factors for suicide : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand

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dc.confidentialEmbargo : No
dc.contributor.advisorWilliams, Matt
dc.contributor.authorHolman, Mikaylaen
dc.date.accessioned2024-03-20T02:08:12Z
dc.date.available2024-03-20T02:08:12Z
dc.date.issued2024-03-19
dc.description.abstractSuicide is a major public health concern in New Zealand, with the number of lives lost due to suicide increasing almost every year. The factors influencing a person’s decision to take their own life are numerous and often complex. Some of these factors are dynamic, fluctuating over short periods of time and ultimately altering a person’s risk for suicide. Network analysis is a novel statistical technique that can be used to explore complex causal associations in systems of variables, such as risk factors for suicide. The present study used temporal network analysis to explore the associations between dynamic risk factors for suicide over time. Data collection involved ecological momentary assessment, where a general community sample of 39 adult participants completed a brief survey five times per day for ten days, resulting in 1420 completed surveys. Each survey assessed participants’ momentary experience of suicidal ideation, depressed mood, hopelessness, social support, self-esteem, thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, anhedonia, worthlessness, alcohol intoxication, and fatigue. All variables fluctuated from measurement to measurement at least some of the time, highlighting the dynamic nature of suicide risk. Temporal, contemporaneous, and between-persons networks of the 11 measured variables were estimated using temporal network analysis. In the temporal network, hopelessness was the only variable that predicted an increase in suicidal ideation at the subsequent measurement. Multiple nodes were estimated to be positively associated with suicidal ideation in the contemporaneous network, including depressed mood, thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, and worthlessness, while self-esteem was negatively associated with suicidal ideation in this network. In the between-persons network, hopelessness was the only variable with a significant association with suicidal ideation. The results of this study highlight the importance of continuously assessing changes in suicide risk factors given their dynamic nature. Hopelessness may be an especially important risk factor to assess given its temporal association with increased suicidal ideation. Regarding future research opportunities, experimental N=1 network studies about the effectiveness of personalised interventions based on node centrality are an important next step in determining whether individualised networks have a place in personalised treatment for suicidality.
dc.identifier.urihttps://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/69418
dc.publisherMassey Universityen
dc.publisherFigures 3 & 4 are reused with permission.en
dc.rightsThe Authoren
dc.subjectSuicideen
dc.subjectRisk factorsen
dc.subjectRisk assessmenten
dc.subjectNew Zealanden
dc.subjectSocial sciencesen
dc.subjectNetwork analysisen
dc.subjecttemporal network analysisen
dc.subjectecological momentary asssessmenten
dc.subject.anzsrc520302 Clinical psychologyen
dc.titleA temporal network analysis of risk factors for suicide : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealanden
thesis.degree.disciplineClinical Psychology
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Clinical Psychology
thesis.description.doctoral-citation-abridgedThe factors influencing a person’s decision to take their own life are numerous and often complex. Ms Holman used temporal network analysis to explore how risk factors for suicide changed over short periods of time and how they affected one another. Her research highlighted the importance of frequent assessment of suicidal ideation and its risk factors, particularly hopelessness.
thesis.description.doctoral-citation-longSuicide is complex, with numerous factors influencing a person’s decision to take their own life. Some of these factors are dynamic, fluctuating over short periods of time. To date there have been few studies about how suicide risk factors affect one another, and how this relates to changes in suicidal ideation. Using an ecological momentary assessment design, brief surveys were sent to adult participants multiple times per day. Results of temporal network analysis showed that hopelessness predicted an increase in suicidal ideation over time. This research highlighted the importance of frequent assessment of suicidal ideation and its risk factors.
thesis.description.name-pronounciationMIH-KAY-LAH HOLE-MIN
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