DISENTANGLING THE INTERRELATIONS BETWEEN HOPELESSNESS, LONELINESS, AND SUICIDAL IDEATION

We attempted to disentangle the interrelations between hopelessness, l oneliness, and suicidal ideation, by comparing two conceptually driven models of their relationships, prospectively among 234 undergraduates , using a series of multiple regression/correlation equations. Model 1 framed loneliness as a risk factor for future suicidality that operat es via its influence on hopelessness (the mediational view). Model 2 v iewed hopelessness as a source variable that is predictive of both lon eliness and suicidality, and postulated no relation between loneliness and suicidality beyond hopelessness. Model 2 received support, wherea s Model 1 did not. We discuss the implications of our findings for the nomological status of hopelessness and loneliness as correlates of su icidality, and for exploration of the structural interrelations of sui cide-related variables in general.