This supplement builds on our R01 (MH110477). The parent grant tests a novel model integrating three RDOC dimensions as predictors of internalizing and externalizing syndromes in adults. Recent research provides evidence that these same RDOC dimensions may be of import in understanding suicide risk. Here, we request funding to recruit an additional sample of 50 persons with a history of suicide attempt in the past year, to supplement our parent grant?s recruitment of persons with suicidal ideation and those with neither ideation nor attempts. We will gather the same multi-level measures as are collected in the parent grant, to systematically investigate the effects of threat sensitivity, approach motivation, and emotion-related response inhibition on suicidal ideation and action. This supplemental project will address two critical gaps: 1) Researchers to date have rarely considered multiple RDOC dimensions jointly in the prediction of suicide risk. 2) Little research has used multimodal measures to understand factors that differentiate suicidal ideation versus attempts. To address these gaps, our proposal has three specific aims:
Aim 1 : Investigate how behavioural and self-report indices of threat sensitivity relate to suicidal ideation.
Aim 2 : Investigate how behavioral and self-report indices of approach motivation relate to suicidal ideation.
Aim 3 : Investigate how response inhibition, measured in the context of heightened emotional arousal, amplifies the influence of suicidal ideation on suicidal action. The proposed plan draws on the strengths of the large, well-characterized sample recruited for the parent grant. Knowledge gained will provide novel information integrating core variables related to suicidality and will provide a natural bridge to applying recently developed treatment designed to address deficits in executive control during periods of high emotion.
The aims of this project fit NIMH goals of building RDOC models of suicidality, of understanding the transition from ideation to action, and providing a stronger knowledge base to guide suicide prevention.

Public Health Relevance

Building on the strengths of a large well-characterized sample recruited through our parent R01, this supplement will examine the role of three RDOC dimensions, threat sensitivity, approach motivation, and response inhibition, using multimodal (behavioral and self-report) assessments in an additional sample of persons with a past-year suicide attempt (to compare against ideators and controls recruited through the parent grant). We propose that tendencies to high threat sensitivity and low approach motivation will be related to suicidal ideation; we predict that low response inhibition, particularly in the context of high emotional arousal, will be related to more severe suicide behavior (attempts) among those with suicidal ideation. This study will be the first to examine the interactions of threat sensitivity, approach motivation and response inhibition in the differentiation of suicidal ideation and action.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
3R01MH110477-04S2
Application #
9940826
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZMH1)
Program Officer
Prabhakar, Janani
Project Start
2016-08-05
Project End
2021-04-30
Budget Start
2019-08-09
Budget End
2020-04-30
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2019
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of California Berkeley
Department
Psychology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
124726725
City
Berkeley
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
94710
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Johnson, Sheri L; Carver, Charles S; Tharp, Jordan A (2017) Suicidality in Bipolar Disorder: The Role of Emotion-Triggered Impulsivity. Suicide Life Threat Behav 47:177-192