Examining aspects of psychological flexibility within the integrated motivational-volitional model of suicidal behavior: A prospective investigation

Background According to the integrated motivational-volitional model of suicide, feelings of entrapment are related to the emergence of suicidal ideation (SI). However, this relation can be moderated by certain protective factors. Methods This study examined whether aspects of psychological flexibility (i.e., experiential avoidance, experiential acceptance, harnessing) moderated the relation between aspects of entrapment and SI severity in college students experiencing SI (N = 553) both cross-sectionally and when SI severity was measured 1 week later (N = 247). Results At baseline, experiential acceptance, but not experiential avoidance or harnessing, significantly moderated the relation between external entrapment and SI severity and internal entrapment and SI severity. No aspects of psychological flexibility prospectively moderated relations between entrapment and SI severity. Conclusions Aspects of psychological flexibility may influence immediate vulnerability to SI severity among young adults experiencing feelings of entrapment. Implications for clinical interventions influencing changes in psychological flexibility are discussed.