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. 2021 Oct;51(5):916-930.
doi: 10.1111/sltb.12775. Epub 2021 Jun 3.

Thwarted belongingness predicts greater neural reactivity to a novel social exclusion image set: Evidence from the late positive potential

Brian J Albanese  1 , Daniel W Capron  2 , Richard J Macatee  1 , Brian W Bauer  2 , Norman B Schmidt  3
Affiliations

Thwarted belongingness predicts greater neural reactivity to a novel social exclusion image set: Evidence from the late positive potential

Brian J Albanese et al. Suicide Life Threat Behav. 2021 Oct.

Abstract

Introduction: Thwarted belongingness (TB) is among the most well-researched risk factors for suicidal ideation (SI). Yet, there is little research examining neural mechanisms underlying this construct. The present study used a novel social exclusion image set in concert with the late positive potential (LPP) to test the role of neural reactivity social exclusion in TB and SI.

Methods: Participants (n = 243) were recruited based on elevated suicide risk and completed an emotional picture viewing task. The LPP was used to index neural reactivity to a novel set of social exclusion images and international affective picture system (IAPS) neutral, positive, and negative images.

Results: Greater TB predicted a larger social exclusion ΔLPP (social exclusion LPP relative to neutral LPP) and social exclusion LPP even when accounting for SI, biological sex, age, negative affect, and perceived burdensomeness. Moreover, the social exclusion LPP was uniquely related to TB beyond the LPP to other images. Last, a larger social exclusion LPP predicted greater SI via elevations in TB.

Conclusion: Reactivity to social exclusion stimuli may play an important role in SI via elevated TB, but not perceived burdensomeness. Future research should further explore the neural mechanisms underlying other IPT constructs.

Keywords: electroencephalography; interpersonal-psychological theory; late positive potential; suicide; thwarted belongingness.

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References

REFERENCES

    1. Albanese, B. J., & Hajcak, G. (2021). Reward processing abnormalities and promising new directions for understanding suicide vulnerability. Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging. 6(1), 8-9.
    1. Albanese, B. J., Macatee, R. J., Gallyer, A. J., Stanley, I. H., Joiner, T. E., & Schmidt, N. B. (2019). Impaired conflict detection differentiates suicide attempters from ideating nonattempters: Evidence from event-related potentials. Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, 4(10), 902-912.
    1. Albanese, B. J., Macatee, R. J., Stanley, I. H., Bauer, B. W., Capron, D. W., Bernat, E., Joiner, T. E., & Schmidt, N. B. (2019). Differentiating suicide attempts and suicidal ideation using neural markers of emotion regulation. Journal of Affective Disorders, 257, 536-550.
    1. Albanese, B. J., & Hajcak, G. (2021). Reward processing abnormalities and promising new directions for understanding suicide vulnerability. Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, 6(1), 8-9.
    1. Bauer, B. W., Gai, A. R., Duffy, M. E., Rogers, M. L., Khazem, L. R., Martin, R. L., Joiner, T. E., & Capron, D. W. (2020). Fearlessness about death does not differ by suicide attempt method. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 124, 42-49.

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