The Role of Thwarted Belongingness, Perceived Burdensomeness, Self-Efficacy and Ego Strength in Predicting Suicidal Ideation of Nurses

Background: More than a million people worldwide die by suicide every year, the risk of committing suicide in healthcare related occupations, especially nursing, is much higher than other occupations. The current study aimed at investigating the role of the Thwarted Belongingness (TB), Perceived Burdensomeness (PB), Self-Efficacy (SE), and Ego Strength (ES) in predicating Suicidal Ideation (SI) in nurses. Materials and Methods: In the current descriptive-correlational study, convenience sampling method was employed to select 120 nurses of hospitals in Ardabil, Iran. The participants completed the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire (INQ), General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), Psychology Inventory Ego Strengths (PIES), and Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSSI). The collected data were analyzed by descriptive statistics indices, Pearson correlation analysis, and multivariate regression with SPSS V. 23. Results: The obtained result showed a significant and positive relationship between Thwarted Belongingness and Perceived Burdensomeness, and Suicidal Ideation as well as a significant and negative relationship between Self-Efficacy and Ego Strength, and Suicidal Ideation. Also, the result of the multivariate regression showed that Thwarted Belongingness, Perceived Burdensomeness, Self-Efficacy, and Ego Strength predictability can account for 46% of Suicidal Ideation. Also, the result showed that Perceived Burdensomeness could explain and predict Suicidal Ideation better than other variables. Conclusion: Generally, Thwarted Belongingness and Perceived Burdensomeness, as two interpersonal factors, and Self-Efficacy and Ego Strength, as two intrapersonal factors, can predict Suicidal Ideation of nurses. Possession of the sense of Thwarted Belongingness leads to a feeling of loneliness, and perceiving burdensomeness leads to a feeling of self-hatred, and ultimately, the combination of these two structures leads to the formation of Suicidal Ideation. Also, poor Self-Efficacy leads to negative judgment of abilities and the low Ego Strength uses inappropriate defense mechanisms such as denial and suppression, and ultimately, the combination of these two forms Suicidal Ideation. Therefore, providing the training to improve interpersonal relationships in order to reduce the felling of Thwarted Belongingness and Perceived Burdensomeness as well as individual counseling to improve Self-Efficacy and Ego Strength can be effective in reducing Suicidal Ideation and suicide attempt in nurses.