Table 1.
Studies on mental pain and suicide in samples with mood disorders.
| Study | Title | Aim | Sample information | Measure of mental pain | Measure of suicide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berlim et al. (21) | Psychache and suicidality in adult mood disordered outpatients in Brazil | To assess the prediction that psychache (as derived by psychological quality of life) is associated with suicidality over and above depressive symptoms, hopelessness, interpersonal, and physical domains of quality of life | Sample size: 60 diagnosed depressed adult patients Mean age: 49.6 (SD 12.41) years Female: 83% |
WHO-QOL psychological domain (6 items) | BDI suicidality item; MINI questions about suicidality |
| Caceda et al. (23) | Impulsive choice and psychological pain in acutely suicidal depressed patients | To examine the relationship of psychological pain and choice impulsivity with acute suicidal behavior | Sample size: 82 participants divided into four groups; G1, suicide attempters (20); G2, suicide ideators (22); G3, depressed controls (20); G4, healthy controls (20) Mean age: G1 = 36.4 (SD = 3.8) years, G2 = 43.1 (SD = 2.7) years, G3 = 46.2 (SD = 2.5) years, G4 = 39.3 (SD = 4.5) years Female: G1 = 60%, G2 = 50%, G3 = 65%, G4 = 50% |
PAS | C-SSRS BDI |
| Huanhuan et al. (24) | Clarifying the role of psychological pain in the risks of suicidal ideation and suicidal acts among patients with major depressive episodes | To further investigate the role of psychological pain in suicidal ideation and suicidal acts among patients with major depressive episodes | Sample size: 111 depressed patients divided into two groups; G1, depressed patients with a history of suicide attempts (28); G2, depressed patients with no history of suicide attempts (83) Mean age: G1 = 28.93 (SD = 12.37), G2 = 33.99 (SD = 12.63) Female: G1 = 71%, G2 = 60% |
TDPPS PAS |
BSS Structured clinical interview assessing suicidal acts that include some degree of seriousness and/or lethality |
| Mee et al. (3) | Assessment of psychological pain in major depressive episodes | To evaluate, developing a brief measure of psychological pain, the role of psychological pain in suicide, and depression | Sample size: 168 participants divided into two groups; G1, major depressive episode patients (73); G2, non-psychiatric controls (95) Mean age: G1 males = 54.00 (SD = 12) and females = 46.00 (SD = 17); G2 males = 55.00 (SD = 17) and females = 45.00 (SD = 17) Female: G1 = 38%, G2 = 40% |
MBPPAS | SBQ |
| Meerwijk and Weiss (26) | Does suicidal desire moderate the association between frontal delta power and psychological pain? | To investigate the moderating effect of recent suicidal desire on the association between resting-state neurophysiological parameters and psychological pain | Sample size: 35 adults with a history of depression, divided into two groups Mean age: 34.91 (SD = 11.60) Female: 77% |
PAS OMMP |
BSS |
| Olié et al. (22) | Higher psychological pain during a major depressive episode may be a factor of vulnerability to suicidal ideation and act | To test the hypothesis that higher psychological pain during a major depressive episode may represent a trait of vulnerability to suicidal ideation and suicidal acts | Sample size: 210 patients divided into three groups; G1, recent suicide attempters (87); G2, former suicide attempters (61); G3, non-suicide attempters (62) Mean age: G1 = 40 (NA) years, G2 = 38 (NA) years, G3 = 38 (NA) years Female: G1 = 67%, G2 = 74%, G3 = 73% |
Three items assessing intensity of psychological pain currently and during the last 15 days (including usual and maximum) | Two items measuring intensity of suicidal ideation and frequency of suicidal ideation |
| van Heeringen et al. (25) | The functional neuroanatomy of mental pain in depression | To evaluate neurofunctional aspects of mental pain related to suicidality | Sample size: 39 depressed patients divided into three groups; G1, 13 patients with low levels of mental pain; G2, 13 patients with medium levels of mental pain; G3, 13 patients with high levels of mental pain Mean age: G1 = 42.5 (SD = 15.0) years, G2 = 35.15 (SD = 12.9) years, G3 = 44.77 (SD = 15.3) years Female: G1 = 53.8%, G2 = 61.5%, G3 = 53.8% |
OMMP | Item 9 of the BDI assessing occurrence and severity of suicidal ideation |
| Xie et al. (16) | Anhedonia and pain avoidance in the suicidal mind: behavioral evidence for motivational manifestations of suicidal ideation in patients with major depressive disorder | To provide empirical evidence for the relationship between anhedonia, psychological pain (i.e., pain avoidance), and suicidal ideation | Sample size: 60 participants divided into three groups; G1, high suicide ideation participants (27 depressed patients); G2, low suicide ideation participants (13 depressed patients); G3 healthy control participants (20) Mean age: G1 = 14.07 (SD = 3.03), G2 = 13.77 (SD = 3.39), G3 = 14.75 (SD = 2.83) Female: G1 = 70.4%, G2 = 69.2%, G3 = 60.0% |
TDPPS PAS |
BSS |
NA, Not Available; G1, Group 1; G2, Group 2; G3, Group 3; G4, Group 4.
C-SSRS, Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale; BDI, Beck Depression Inventory; BSS, Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation; MBPPAS, Mee–Bunney Psychological Pain Assessment Scale; MINI, Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview; OMMP, Orbach and Mikulincer Mental Pain Scale; PAS, Psychache Scale; SBQ, Suicidal Behavior Questionnaire; TDPPS, three-dimensional Psychological Pain Scale; TMPS, Tolerance for Mental Pain Scale; WHO-QOL, World Health Organization’s Quality of Life Instrument.