Predicting suicide ideation in an adolescent population: examining the role of social problem solving as a moderator and a mediator

The present study examined the role of social problem solving as a moderator and mediator of the influence of life stress on suicide ideation in a sample of 306 high school students. Results indicated that life stress and social problem solving added significant incremental validity in predicting suicide ideation (R2=0.10) above and beyond what was accounted for by prior history of attempted suicide. No evidence was found for a diathesis-stress model as proposed by Schotte and Clum [Schotte, D. E., & Clum, G. A. (1982). Suicide ideation in a college population: A test of a model. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 50, 690–696; Schotte, D. E., & Clum, G. A. (1987). Problem-solving skills in suicidal psychiatric patients. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 55, 49–54.]. However, some support for the view that social problem solving mediates the influence of life stress on suicide ideation was found. Implications for intervention in working with at risk adolescents are discussed.