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Is Doubling Up on Positive Future Cognitions Associated with Lower Suicidal Risk in Latinos?: A Look at Hope and Positive Problem Orientation

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Abstract

In the present study, we examined hope and positive problem orientation as additive predictors of suicidal risk, namely, hopelessness and suicide behavior, in a sample of 155 (37 males and 118 females) Latinos. Consistent with expectations, we found hope and positive problem orientation to be associated with lower suicidal risk. In addition, results of conducting hierarchical regression analyses indicated that hope accounted for significant variance in both indices of suicidal risk. Moreover, the inclusion of positive problem orientation as a predictor was found to account for additional unique variance in both indices of suicidal risk, beyond what was accounted for by hope. Finally, results of conducting additional analyses indicated a significant Hope × Positive Problem Orientation interaction effect in accounting for suicidal risk. Some implications of the present findings are discussed.

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Acknowledgments

Part of this research was supported by a Psi Chi/APS Summer Research Grant awarded to the second author, under the sponsorship of the first author. The first author would like to thank Chang Suk-Choon and Tae Myung-Sook for their encouragement and support throughout this project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, 530 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA

    Edward C. Chang, Elizabeth A. Yu & Emma R. Kahle

  2. Department of Psychology, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, New York, NY, USA

    Elizabeth L. Jeglic

  3. Department of Psychology, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, USA

    Jameson K. Hirsch

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  1. Edward C. Chang
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  2. Elizabeth A. Yu
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  3. Emma R. Kahle
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  4. Elizabeth L. Jeglic
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  5. Jameson K. Hirsch
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Correspondence to Edward C. Chang.

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Chang, E.C., Yu, E.A., Kahle, E.R. et al. Is Doubling Up on Positive Future Cognitions Associated with Lower Suicidal Risk in Latinos?: A Look at Hope and Positive Problem Orientation. Cogn Ther Res 37, 1285–1293 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-013-9572-x

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