Skip to main content

ETHNOS_APP

Home • Search • Journals • List 0

The emperor’s new clothes? A critical look at the interpersonal theory of suicide

Bibliographic Data

ID12096443
AuthorsHeidi Hjelmeland (0000-0003-4745-4301, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, corresponding author), Birthe Loa Knizek (0000-0002-5952-9895, Norwegian University of Science and Technology)
Year2019
Volume44
Issue3
Pages168-178
Publication date2019-01-29
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueDeath Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0748-1187 • E-ISSN: 1091-7683
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/07481187.2018.1527796
PMID30696383
OpenAlexW2912089032
LanguageEN
Citations received27
References cited28

The Interpersonal Theory of Suicide currently seems to be the most popular theory in suicidology. It posits that suicide can be explained by the simultaneous presence of three risk factors only, namely acquired capability for suicide, thwarted belongingness, and perceived burdensomeness. Suicide is, however, widely accepted as a complex, multifactorial, and contextual phenomenon. It is, therefore, surprising that a theory comprised by three internal factors only is so uncritically embraced by suicide researchers. In this article, we scrutinize the theory's background, core components, and purported empirical evidence and argue that its popularity is highly unwarranted

Epistemology · Interpersonal communication · Medical emergency · Phenomenon · Poison control · Popularity · Psychological Theory · Suicide prevention · Suicidology · Homicide, Infanticide, and Child Abuse · Medicine · Psychology · Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments · Social Psychology · Suicide and Self-Harm Studies

  • Suicide and Place

    Open Access•Benjamin Gregory, Faye Ambler et al.•Social Science & Medicine•2026

  • Does collectivism/individualism moderate the association between interpersonal needs and suicide ideation/behavior

    Open Access•Razieh Eizadifard, Julia Brailovskaia et al.•Current Psychology•2026

  • Media Portrayals of Suicide's Risk and Protective Factors in Slovenia (1959 – 1999)

    Open Access•Nuša Zadravec Šedivy, Polonca Borko et al.•Contributions to Contemporary…•2024

  • Macro-level mental health system indicators and cross-national suicide rates

    Open Access•Johnny Andoh-Arthur, Samuel Adjorlolo•Global Health Action•2021

  • Threatened by an individual double-edged risk? Representations of suicidal behavior and people who attempt suicide in prevention policies in Denmark. A poststructural policy analysis

    Open Access•Joanna Wisbech, Alexandra Brandt Ryborg Jønsson et al.•Health An Interdisciplinary…•2025

  • Undoing Suicidism

    Alexandre Baril•Undoing Suicidism•2023

  • Male suicide cases in Bangladesh

    Azizur Rahman Khan, Najuwa Arendse•Journal of Human Behavior in the…•2023

  • Suicide among Black Children

    Open Access•I Opara, Maame Araba Assan et al.•Journal of Black Studies•2020

  • Is perceived burdensomeness present in the lives of famous suicides? A lack of support for the interpersonal theory of suicide

    D Lester, John F Gunn•Death Studies•2020

  • Suicide, Stigma, and Utilizing Social Media Platforms to Gauge Public Perceptions

    Open Access•Nila Nathan, Nila A Nathan et al.•Frontiers in Psychiatry•2020

  • Predicting Suicide in Counties

    Open Access•Kate Mobley, Gita Taasoobshirazi•International Journal of…•2022

  • Attachment Security and Suicide Ideation and Behaviour

    Open Access•Jessica Green, Keith Berry et al.•International Journal of…•2021

  • Intimate relationships and Suicidal Behaviour of Men in Bangladesh

    Azizur Rahman Khan, Najuwa Arendse et al.•Mortality•2023

  • The role of theory for understanding and preventing suicide (but not predicting it)

    E David Klonsky•Death Studies•2020

  • The fearlessness about death scale’s efficacy for differentiating suicide attempts from non-suicidal self-injury, a meta-analysis

    Jim Schmeckenbecher, Anna Christina Philipp et al.•Death Studies•2024

  • Expanding our paradigms

    Corbin J Standley•Death Studies•2022

  • Ethological Problems with the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide

    Open Access•C A Soper•OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying•2022

  • Identifying Individuals at Risk of Suicide and Self-Harm in Jail

    Calli M Cain, Jared M Ellison•Corrections•2022

  • Socio-ecological context and the interpersonal theory of suicide

    Phillip N Smith, Kaitlyn R Schuler et al.•Death Studies•2019

  • Toward a robust science of suicide

    Seth Abrutyn, Anna S Mueller•Death Studies•2019

  • Examining the interpersonal theory of suicide in acutely suicidal psychiatric inpatients

    Phillip N Smith, Shane Kuhlman et al.•Death Studies•2020

  • Suicide prevention as biopolitical surveillance

    Open Access•Alexander Oaten, Ana Jordan et al.•Critical Social Policy•2023

  • Drama queens” and “attention seekers

    Open Access•Harriet Townsend•Gender & Society•2025

  • The Association Between Interpersonal Factors, Stress, Anxiety, and Depression Among Junior High School Students in the Greater Accra Region

    Open Access•Enoch Kordjo Azasu, Abass Babatunde et al.•Journal of Theoretical Social…•2025

  • Suicide in cultural context

    Open Access•L J Kirmayer•Transcultural Psychiatric…•2022

  • Pathways, Contexts, and Voices of Shame and Compassion

    Open Access•Laura J Biggs, Bonnie Jephcott et al.•Qualitative Health Research•2023

  • Meta-Analysis of Acculturation and Suicide-Related Outcomes

    Open Access•Christina Seowoo Lee, Selcuk R Sirin et al.•Journal of Racial and Ethnic…•2024

  • Why People Die by Suicide

    Thomas E Joiner, Thomas Joiner•Why People Die by Suicide•2007

  • The current prevalence of child sexual abuse worldwide

    Open Access•J Barth, L Bermetz et al.•International Journal of Public…•2013

  • A systematic review of the predictions of the Interpersonal–Psychological Theory of Suicidal Behavior

    Open Access•Jennifer Ma, Philip J Batterham et al.•Clinical Psychology Review•2016

  • Suicide

    Open Access•Keith Hawton, Kees Van Heeringen•The Lancet•2009

  • Thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness

    Kimberly A Van Orden, Kelly C Cukrowicz et al.•Psychological Assessment•2012

  • The interpersonal theory of suicide.

    Kimberly A Van Orden, Tracy K Witte et al.•Psychological Review•2010

  • Situating Suicide as an Anthropological Problem

    Open Access•J Staples, Tom Widger•Culture Medicine and Psychiatry•2012

  • Suicide and mental disorders

    Open Access•Heidi Hjelmeland, Birthe Loa Knizek•Death Studies•2017

  • The interpersonal theory of suicide

    Open Access•Carol Chu, Jennifer M Buchman-Schmitt et al.•Psychological Bulletin•2017

  • Suicide and culture

    Julio Xerfan•International Journal of Culture…•2013

  • Psychological Autopsy Studies as Diagnostic Tools

    Heidi Hjelmeland, Gudrun Dieserud et al.•Death Studies•2012

  • Connecting with suicidal patients in psychiatric wards

    James Hagen, Julia Hagen et al.•Death Studies•2017

  • Dead people don’t claim’

    Open Access•China Mills•Critical Social Policy•2018

  • Culture and Gender Effects in Pain Beliefs and the Prediction of Pain Tolerance

    Open Access•Sangeetha Nayak, Samuel C Shiflett et al.•Cross-Cultural Research•2000

  • Risk factors for suicidal thoughts and behaviors

    Joseph C Franklin, Jessica D Ribeiro et al.•Psychological Bulletin•2017

  • Men in despair

    Open Access•Dorothy Kizza, Birthe Loa Knizek et al.•Transcultural Psychiatry•2012

Unique citing works27
Citations per year3,86
Citation span2019 - 2026 (8)
Citation velocitycurrent
Highly citedNo
Citation typesNeutral: 27
Ethnos_APP • Open Source Project • MIT License • Frontend v2.0.0 • Privacy and Cookies • API Documentation: api.ethnos.app/docs • API Source Code: GitHub • DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17049435 • Frontend Source Code: GitHub • DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17050053 • cruz.rio.br • Expectantes Misericordiae