Understanding the relationship between suicide-related stigma and suicidal thoughts through the lens of the Integrated Motivational-Volitional (IMV) model of suicide

TL;DR

This study explores how suicide-related stigma relates to suicidal thoughts and finds that feelings of defeat and entrapment play a key role in this relationship.

Contribution

This is the first study to examine suicide-related stigma within the IMV model and its link to defeat and entrapment.

Findings

Stigma towards suicide attempts and survivors is linked to higher suicidal ideation.

Defeat and entrapment fully mediate the relationship between suicide-related stigma and suicidal thoughts.

The findings suggest that interventions should target defeat and entrapment to reduce suicide risk.

Abstract

Suicide is a global public health priority and suicide-related stigma is an under-researched but important risk factor, which requires urgent research attention. This is the first study to explore the relationship between suicide-related stigma and suicidal ideation within the context of the Integrated Motivational-Volitional model of suicide as well as its association with other suicide risk factors such as defeat and entrapment.

In total, 470 UK-based participants (79.6% female) aged 16-72 years old with different experiences of suicide took part in an online survey. The survey assessed different types of suicide-related stigma (i.e. stigma towards those who die by suicide, stigma towards suicide attempts, and stigma towards suicide and suicide survivors), as well as suicidal ideation, defeat, and entrapment. Serial mediation analyses were conducted to explore the relationships between suicide-related stigma and suicidal ideation, defeat, and entrapment.

The glorification of suicide (subscale of the stigma of suicide scale) and stigma towards suicide attempts and suicide survivors were associated with higher levels of suicidal ideation. Serial mediation analyses revealed that defeat and entrapment fully mediated the relationship between the glorification of suicide, suicide-related stigma and suicidal ideation. Serial mediation analyses suggest that there is full serial mediation of defeat and entrapment on the relationship between the glorification of suicide, suicide-related stigma measures and suicidal ideation.

This study highlights the importance of exploring the relationship between suicide-related stigma, defeat, and entrapment in the context of suicide risk. These findings should inform the development of tailored interventions for those who experience suicidal thoughts.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12888-025-07449-0.

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