Relationship between Beck Hopelessness Scale and suicidal ideation: A short-term longitudinal study

Abstract

We aimed to clarify if the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) predicted change in suicidal ideation in the general population. This study used a prospective cohort design (4-week survey interval) (N = 3,295). The online survey covered the BHS, suicidal ideation, depression/anxiety tendencies, and demographic details. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed hopelessness was a significant predictor of change in suicidal ideation from T1 to T2 (B = 0.07, 95% confidence interval: 0.05–0.09). Although high hopelessness was related to a short-term rise in suicidal ideation, the risk for suicide cannot be judged adequately by hopelessness from a clinical perspective.

Acknowledgments

We thank Edanz Group (www.edanzediting.com/ac) for editing a draft of this manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number [18K13358].