The Role of Hopelessness and Meaning in Life in a Clinical Sample with Non-suicidal Self-injury and Suicide Attempts

Background: Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicide attempts (SA) lie on a continuum of self-harm, and literature has shown that patients with suicidal intent constitute a more severe group.

Method: This study aimed to explore differences in the facets of hopelessness (Beck Hopelessness Scale) and meaning in life (Purpose in Life Test) in a clinical sample of 150 patients with a diagnosis of a mental disorder with: a) no NSSI/SA, b) only NSSI, or c) SA/NSSI and SA.

Results: The results showed statistically significant differences between the groups in the affective dimension, but they showed similar levels of meaning in life in both groups.

Conclusion: These findings highlight that affective hopelessness can lead to suicide attempts, and that meaning in life underlies the continuum of self-harm. Implications for psychotherapeutic interventions are discussed.