SUICIDE IDEATION AND CREATIVE PROBLEM-SOLVING

This investigation utilized the recent technology for the assessment o f creativity to examine the association between problem solving and su icide ideation. Three kinds of problem-finding and -solving tasks were administered to 81 (nonclinical) college students. One of these tasks assesses ''problem generation'' and was expected to be particularly i nformative, given that individuals considering suicide may perceive ma ny problems but find few solutions. Results supported this expectation : Problem generation scores were significantly correlated with suicide ideation, even after stress was statistically controlled. A secondary analysis suggested that the originality and flexibility of solutions may be influenced by the particular problem an individual faces.