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To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2006.04.007 Byline: Thomas E. Joiner, Natalie J. Sachs-Ericsson, LaRicka R. Wingate, Jessica S. Brown, Michael D. Anestis, Edward A. Selby Keywords: Physical abuse; Sexual abuse; Suicide; Family history Abstract: Research to date has indicated that childhood abuse is associated with suicide, though little research has examined the unique contribution of specific types of abuse to suicidal behavior. We predict that childhood physical and violent sexual abuse will have a greater effect on suicide attempts than molestation and verbal abuse. Author Affiliation: Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-1270, USA Article History: Received 16 November 2005; Revised 11 April 2006; Accepted 26 April 2006

In recent years, numerous studies have demonstrated a link between positive and negative feedback seeking by depressed individuals, interpersonal rejection, and depression chronicity. Nonetheless, many of the specific interpersonal patterns underlying these links have yet to be clearly specified. One important lingering question concerns how depressed individuals respond to negative evaluation or feedback from others, because continued negative feedback seeking could place depressed people at risk for further rejection and continuation/exacerbation of depressive symptoms. Two studies were conducted to investigate the influence of negative feedback provisions from others on the feedback seeking behaviors of individuals with depressive symptoms. The results from Study 1 indicated an increased tendency to seek negative feedback among depressive individuals in association with an independent negative evaluation by their college roommates. Using a sample of newlywed couples, Study 2 extended this finding by demonstrating that, when directly provided with negative feedback from their spouses, individuals with depressive symptomatology actively sought further negative feedback, while those without such symptoms did not. Together, the results from these studies suggest that depressed individuals are likely to respond to negative evaluation and feedback from others with behaviors that could place them at risk for further rejection and continuing, if not worsening problems with depression. Keywords: Depressive symptoms; Interpersonal processes

Among 440 psychiatric outpatients with current suicidal ideation, we examined the empirical distinction between the 'plans' vs. 'desire' dimensions of suicidality, focusing for conceptual and empirical reasons on a worst-point assessment strategy. Factor analyses were consistent with the distinction, but more importantly, among the current ideators included in this study, the worst-point 'plans' dimension was the only predictor significantly related to both of two important indices, history of past attempt and eventual suicide. These findings bear on the trajectory of suicidal behavior over time, as well as inform the clinical assessment of suicidal patients. Keywords: Completed and attempted suicide; Suicidal plans; Suicidal desire; Worst-point assessment strategy

A recovery model of depression (Needles & Abramson, 1990 Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 99, 156-165) proposes that depressed individuals who exhibit an enhancing attributional style for positive events (i.e. make stable, global attributions) will be more likely to regain hopefulness and, thereby, recover from depression when positive events occur. While only a few studies have directly tested this model among clinical and nonclinical adult samples, none have tested a clinical sample of children and adolescents. Furthermore, prior studies testing this model have failed to examine the interactive role of an 'enhancing attributional style' for positive events with a 'depressogenic attributional style' for negative events, as prescribed by the hopelessness theory of depression (Abramson, Metalsky, & Alloy, 1989 Psychological Review, 96, 358-372). The current study presents data demonstrating that depressogenic and enhancing attributional styles interact to predict differential decreases in hopelessness. Implications of these findings and suggestions for future research also are presented. Keywords: Depression; Hopelessness; Hopefulness; Attributional style; Life events; Recovery

A large body of research has suggested that anxiety sensitivity (AS) acts as a specific vulnerability factor in the development of anxiety pathology. More recently, attention has turned to the etiology of AS per se. The present study represents a specific test of a Scar model of AS. A Scar model posits that the experience of distress will affect the vulnerability factor. We were specifically interested in evaluating the effects of a specific stressor (spontaneous panic) as well as general distress on changes in AS over time. A large nonclinical sample of young adults (N = 1296) was prospectively followed over a five week highly stressful period of time (i.e. military basic training). Findings were consistent with the Scar model and suggested that the specific stressor of experiencing a panic attack as well as general stressors creating significant anxiety symptoms uniquely contributed to increased levels of AS (regardless of prior history of panic). Moreover, the experience of spontaneous panic in the context of generally low levels of distress (both anxiety and depression) appeared to be particularly pernicious in terms of resulting in greater increases in AS. In sum, anxiety-related stressors appear to have the potential to 'scar' individuals in regard to this cognitive vulnerability factor.

Expectancy theory posits that anxiety sensitivity (AS) acts as a specific risk factor for the development of anxiety pathology (Reiss, 1991). Previous work suggests that AS is a risk factor for anxiety but several reports have found that AS is also related to depression. The principal aim of the present study was to determine whether anxiety sensitivity acts as a specific vulnerability factor in the pathogenesis of anxiety and depression in both a large nonclinical sample (N = 1401) as well as a patient sample (N = 53). A covariance analytic strategy indicated that AS possesses symptom specificity with respect to anxiety but is not predictive of depression when accounting for changes in anxiety symptoms. Component analyses suggest, however, that one first-order factor (phrenophobia) is likely to account for the association between AS and depression because it is non-specific (i.e. associated with unique aspects of both anxiety and depression). It is concluded that much of the general association noted between anxiety sensitivity and depression is likely to be due to covariation among symptoms of anxiety and depression.

The present study examined the ironic possibility that defensiveness, far from suppressing depression and staving off negative interpersonal consequences, is actually associated with interpersonal difficulties (e.g. peer rejection). Participants were 72 youth psychiatric inpatients (aged 7-17 years, mean [+ or -] SD 13.18 [+ or -] 2.59 years), who completed self-report measures of defensiveness and depression. Chart diagnoses were available, and peer rejection ratings were collected. Results indicated that depressed children with a defensive style obtained the highest peer rejection ratings; other children, including depressed but non-defensive children, were not as negatively rated by peers. Implications regarding self-presentation and depression, as well as regarding clinical work with depressed people, were discussed. Keywords: Defensiveness; Childhood depression; Peer rejection