Abstract
There is concern that the COVID-19 pandemic may cause increased risk of suicide. In the current study, we tested whether suicidal thinking has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic and whether such thinking was predicted by increased feelings of social isolation. In a sample of 55 individuals recently hospitalized for suicidal thinking or behaviors and participating in a 6-month intensive longitudinal smartphone monitoring study, we examined suicidal thinking and isolation before and after the COVID-19 pandemic was declared a national emergency in the United States. We found that suicidal thinking increased significantly among adults (odds ratio [OR] = 4.01, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [3.28, 4.90], p <.001) but not adolescents (OR = 0.84, 95% CI = [0.69, 1.01], p =.07) during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Increased feelings of isolation predicted suicidal thinking during the pandemic phase. Given the importance of social distancing policies, these findings support the need for digital outreach and treatment.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 482-488 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Clinical Psychological Science |
Volume | 9 |
Issue number | 3 |
Early online date | 15 Mar 2021 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 May 2021 |
Keywords
- interpersonal interaction
- longitudinal methods
- suicide prevention