Emotion dysregulation and suicidal ideation: the role of dysregulation of positive emotions

Background and aims.– Suicide is a major health issue worldwide and a substantial body of research claims that difficulties in the regulation of negative emotions (rather than emotion themselves) may play a predominant role in suicidal ideation and in suicidal behavior. However, limited research has explored the role of difficulties in the regulation of positive emotions in suicidal ideation. This study aims to explore this connection in a non-clinical sample. We hypothesized that individuals that report greater difficulty in regulating negative emotions would be more likely to present suicidal ideation and that difficulties in the regulation of positive emotions could mediate this relationship. Methods.– Participants included 150 undergraduate students. Demographic information, including clinical history, were collected in a form. Suicidal ideation was assessed using Beck Suicide Ideation Scale (BSI; Beck & Steer, 1991), difficulties in regulation of negative emotions were assessed using Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS; Gratz & Roemer, 2004), whereas difficulties in the regulation of positive emotions were assessed with Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale - Positive (DERS-P; Weiss et al., 2015). Results.– Analyses were conducted to determine the relationship between dysregulation of negative emotions and suicidal ideation, confirming literature, and the mediating role of difficulties in regulation of positive emotions. Conclusions.– The generalizability of our findings may be limited due to the small size of our sample and to demographic characteristics. So further research is needed to explore deeply the relationship between emotion dysregulation and suicidal ideation.