Abstract

Background: Self-perceived burden and perceived burdensomeness are two apparently related constructs that have arisen independently from research in physical and mental health, respectively. Although both are associated with suicidal ideation in individuals with chronic pain, they have yet to be examined concurrently in the same group of patients.

Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the two constructs and their differential prediction of suicidal ideation.

Methods: Participants were 260 outpatients of an interdisciplinary chronic pain treatment program. Each participant completed the Self-Perceived Burden Scale (SPBS), the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire Perceived Burdensomeness Scale (INQPBS), the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation, and the thoughts of self-harm item of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9.

Results: The SPBS and the INQPBS were both unifactorial measures with good internal consistency. They correlated significantly with one another (r = 0.50, P < 0.001), as well as with scores on the two measures of suicidal ideation (rs ranging from 0.29 to 0.62, Ps < 0.001). However, the INQPBS correlated more highly with suicidal ideation than did the SPBS. In regression analyses, the INQPBS predicted unique variance in suicidal ideation after adjusting for the SPBS. Conversely, the SPBS did not contribute uniquely when the INQPBS was entered first.

Conclusions: Patients with chronic pain who believe that they have become “a burden to others” are at increased risk for suicidal ideation. The conceptual similarities and differences between the constructs of self-perceived burden and perceived burdensomeness are reviewed to explain why perceived burdensomeness is the stronger predictor of this increased risk.

Details

Title
Self-perceived burden, perceived burdensomeness, and suicidal ideation in patients with chronic pain
Author
Wilson, Keith G 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Kowal, John 2 ; Caird, Sara M 3 ; Castillo, Dyana 4 ; McWilliams, Lachlan A 5 ; Heenan, Adam 6 

1  Department of Psychology, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Clinical Epidemiology Program, The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada 
2  Department of Psychology, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Department of Anaesthesiology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada 
3  Department of Psychology, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada 
4  Clinical Epidemiology Program, The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada 
5  Department of Psychology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada 
6  Department of Psychology, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada 
End page
136
Publication year
2017
Publication date
2017
Publisher
Taylor & Francis Ltd.
e-ISSN
2474-0527
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1080/24740527.2017.1368009
ProQuest document ID
2196547417
Copyright
© 2017 Keith G. Wilson, John Kowal, Sara M. Caird, Dyana Castillo, Lachlan A. McWilliams and Adam Heenan. Published with license by Taylor & Francis. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.