Hopelessness and the Anticipation of Positive and Negative Future Experiences in Older Parasuicidal Adults

This study examined whether older people who were depressed or had engaged in parasuicidal behaviour could be identified by a decrease in positive future-directed thinking in the absence of any increase in negative future-directed thinking, in comparison with a community control group. Parasuicidal & depressed participants showed decreased positive future thinking, but no increase in negative future thinking, in comparison with the community control group. The authors suggest this may be accounted for by depression rather than hopelessness. (26 refs)