The Suicide Narrative Interview: adolescents' attachment expectancies and symptom severity in a clinical sample. Issue 5 (3rd September 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zisk, Abigail; Abbott, Caroline H.; Ewing, Stephanie Krauthamer; Diamond, Guy S.; Kobak, Roger
• Is Part Of: Attachment & human development. Volume 19:Issue 5(2017)
• Page Start: 447
• Page End: 462
• Publication Date: 2017-09-03
• Subjects: Adolescent attachment -- attachment expectancies -- suicide -- symptom severity -- suicide narrative; Attachment behavior -- Periodicals; Developmental psychology -- Periodicals; 155.418
• DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2016.1269234
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1461-6734

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Insecure attachment styles have consistently been identified as risk factors for adolescent psychopathology and, more specifically, suicidal ideation. However, much less is known about the mechanisms that account for the relationship between attachment styles and severity of suicidal ideation within clinical samples. In the current study, adolescents' expectancies for caregiver availability and responsiveness were coded from transcripts of the Suicide Narrative Interview in a clinical sample of 129 depressed and suicidal adolescents. Results indicated that negative expectancies for caregiver availability in the Suicide Narrative Interview were associated both with attachment insecurity and with the intensity of adolescents' suicidal ideation. The implications of adolescents' expectancies for caregiver availability as targets for clinical intervention are discussed.