Suicidality and Cognitive Vulnerability to Depression Among College Students: a Prospective Study

Using a behavioural high-risk two-site prospective design, the cognitive vulnerability hypotheses about suicidality were tested. Consistent with prediction, the high cognitive risk participants were more likely than the low cognitive risk participants to exhibit suicidality, measured by both structured diagnostic interview & questionnaire self-reort, during the 2.5 year prospective follow-up period. Moreover, when the prospective period was examined as a whole, the mediation hypothesis derived from the cognitive theories was strong supported. Hopelessness appeared to mediate the obtained relationship between cognitive vulnerability & suicidality. (44 refs)