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. 2023 Feb 20;11(1):50.
doi: 10.1186/s40359-023-01080-y.

Attachment and need to belong as moderators of the relationship between thwarted belongingness and suicidal ideation

Franziska Dienst  1 , Thomas Forkmann  2 , Dajana Schreiber  2 , Inken Höller  2
Affiliations

Attachment and need to belong as moderators of the relationship between thwarted belongingness and suicidal ideation

Franziska Dienst et al. BMC Psychol. .

Abstract

Background: In the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide, thwarted belongingness is presented as a main predictor for suicidal ideation. Studies only partially support this prediction. The aim of this study was to examine whether the heterogenous results are due to moderating effects of attachment and the need to belong on the association between thwarted belongingness and suicidal ideation.

Methods: Four hundred forty-five participants (75% female) from a community sample aged 18 to 73 (M = 29.90, SD = 11.64) filled out online questionnaires about romantic attachment, their need to belong, thwarted belongingness, and suicidal ideation cross-sectionally. Correlations and moderated regression analyses were conducted.

Results: The need to belong significantly moderated the relationship between thwarted belongingness and suicidal ideation and was associated with higher levels of anxious attachment and avoidant attachment. Both attachment dimensions were significant moderators of the relationship between thwarted belongingness and suicidal ideation.

Conclusion: Anxious and avoidant attachment as well as a high need to belong are risk factors for suicidal ideation in people with thwarted belongingness. Therefore, attachment style and need to belong should both be considered in suicide risk assessment and therapy.

Keywords: Attachment; IPTS; Need to belong; Thwarted belongingness.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors declare that there is no conflict of interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
The four adult attachment styles depending on the dimensions anxious and avoidant attachment according to Neumann et al. [22]
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Johnson-Neyman plot indicating significance regions of the NTB as a moderator of the relationship between TB and SI
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Johnson-Neyman plot indicating significance regions of avoidant attachment as a moderator of the relationship between TB and SI
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Johnson-Neyman plot indicating significance regions of the product of anxious and avoidant attachment as a moderator of the relationship between TB and SI
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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