Acquired capability for suicide among Belgian and Australian University students: Psychometric properties of the German capability for suicide questionnaire and a test of the interpersonal theory of suicide
Objective: The Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (IPTS) posits fearlessness of death and pain tolerance as two components of suicide capability. The German Capability for Suicide Questionnaire (GCSQ) is the first measure of both these components, but few data are available on its psychometrics. We (a)...
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
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WILEY
2021
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| Online Access: | http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1173043 http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/93745 |
| _version_ | 1848765777667162112 |
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| author | Preece, David Kiekens, Glenn Boyes, Mark Mortier, P. Nock, M. Kessler, R. Bruffaerts, R. Hasking, Penelope |
| author_facet | Preece, David Kiekens, Glenn Boyes, Mark Mortier, P. Nock, M. Kessler, R. Bruffaerts, R. Hasking, Penelope |
| author_sort | Preece, David |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Objective: The Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (IPTS) posits fearlessness of death and pain tolerance as two components of suicide capability. The German Capability for Suicide Questionnaire (GCSQ) is the first measure of both these components, but few data are available on its psychometrics. We (a) examined the psychometric properties of the GCSQ and used it to test (b) the latent structure of suicide capability and (c) its associations with suicidal behavior. Method: As part of the WHO World Mental Health International College Student Initiative, Belgian (N = 3715) and Australian (N = 2828) students completed the GCSQ (Dutch or English versions). Results: The factor structure of the GCSQ was well represented by two first-order factors (fearlessness of death, pain tolerance) and a higher-order suicide capability factor. The fearlessness of death scale and pain tolerance scale (minus two reverse-scored items) showed good reliability (α = 0.81– 0.90). Fearlessness of death was associated with suicidal behaviors, but the pain tolerance scale was inversely associated with suicidal behaviors. Conclusions: Consistent with the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide, fearlessness of death and pain tolerance are components of a higher-order suicide capability construct. The GCSQ is a reliable measure of this construct, though its pain tolerance scale requires modification. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T11:40:39Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-93745 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T11:40:39Z |
| publishDate | 2021 |
| publisher | WILEY |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-937452023-12-20T00:23:49Z Acquired capability for suicide among Belgian and Australian University students: Psychometric properties of the German capability for suicide questionnaire and a test of the interpersonal theory of suicide Preece, David Kiekens, Glenn Boyes, Mark Mortier, P. Nock, M. Kessler, R. Bruffaerts, R. Hasking, Penelope Science & Technology Social Sciences Life Sciences & Biomedicine Psychiatry Psychology, Multidisciplinary Psychology factor analysis German Capability for Suicide Questionnaire Interpersonal Theory of Suicide measurement suicide capability CONSTRUCT-VALIDITY COLLEGE-STUDENTS FIT INDEXES BEHAVIORS THOUGHTS FEARLESSNESS VALIDATION DEATH German Capability for Suicide Questionnaire Interpersonal Theory of Suicide factor analysis measurement suicide capability Australia Belgium Humans Psychological Theory Psychometrics Reproducibility of Results Students Suicidal Ideation Suicide Surveys and Questionnaires Universities Humans Reproducibility of Results Suicide Psychological Theory Psychometrics Students Universities Australia Belgium Suicidal Ideation Surveys and Questionnaires Objective: The Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (IPTS) posits fearlessness of death and pain tolerance as two components of suicide capability. The German Capability for Suicide Questionnaire (GCSQ) is the first measure of both these components, but few data are available on its psychometrics. We (a) examined the psychometric properties of the GCSQ and used it to test (b) the latent structure of suicide capability and (c) its associations with suicidal behavior. Method: As part of the WHO World Mental Health International College Student Initiative, Belgian (N = 3715) and Australian (N = 2828) students completed the GCSQ (Dutch or English versions). Results: The factor structure of the GCSQ was well represented by two first-order factors (fearlessness of death, pain tolerance) and a higher-order suicide capability factor. The fearlessness of death scale and pain tolerance scale (minus two reverse-scored items) showed good reliability (α = 0.81– 0.90). Fearlessness of death was associated with suicidal behaviors, but the pain tolerance scale was inversely associated with suicidal behaviors. Conclusions: Consistent with the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide, fearlessness of death and pain tolerance are components of a higher-order suicide capability construct. The GCSQ is a reliable measure of this construct, though its pain tolerance scale requires modification. 2021 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/93745 10.1111/sltb.12721 English http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1173043 WILEY fulltext |
| spellingShingle | Science & Technology Social Sciences Life Sciences & Biomedicine Psychiatry Psychology, Multidisciplinary Psychology factor analysis German Capability for Suicide Questionnaire Interpersonal Theory of Suicide measurement suicide capability CONSTRUCT-VALIDITY COLLEGE-STUDENTS FIT INDEXES BEHAVIORS THOUGHTS FEARLESSNESS VALIDATION DEATH German Capability for Suicide Questionnaire Interpersonal Theory of Suicide factor analysis measurement suicide capability Australia Belgium Humans Psychological Theory Psychometrics Reproducibility of Results Students Suicidal Ideation Suicide Surveys and Questionnaires Universities Humans Reproducibility of Results Suicide Psychological Theory Psychometrics Students Universities Australia Belgium Suicidal Ideation Surveys and Questionnaires Preece, David Kiekens, Glenn Boyes, Mark Mortier, P. Nock, M. Kessler, R. Bruffaerts, R. Hasking, Penelope Acquired capability for suicide among Belgian and Australian University students: Psychometric properties of the German capability for suicide questionnaire and a test of the interpersonal theory of suicide |
| title | Acquired capability for suicide among Belgian and Australian University students: Psychometric properties of the German capability for suicide questionnaire and a test of the interpersonal theory of suicide |
| title_full | Acquired capability for suicide among Belgian and Australian University students: Psychometric properties of the German capability for suicide questionnaire and a test of the interpersonal theory of suicide |
| title_fullStr | Acquired capability for suicide among Belgian and Australian University students: Psychometric properties of the German capability for suicide questionnaire and a test of the interpersonal theory of suicide |
| title_full_unstemmed | Acquired capability for suicide among Belgian and Australian University students: Psychometric properties of the German capability for suicide questionnaire and a test of the interpersonal theory of suicide |
| title_short | Acquired capability for suicide among Belgian and Australian University students: Psychometric properties of the German capability for suicide questionnaire and a test of the interpersonal theory of suicide |
| title_sort | acquired capability for suicide among belgian and australian university students: psychometric properties of the german capability for suicide questionnaire and a test of the interpersonal theory of suicide |
| topic | Science & Technology Social Sciences Life Sciences & Biomedicine Psychiatry Psychology, Multidisciplinary Psychology factor analysis German Capability for Suicide Questionnaire Interpersonal Theory of Suicide measurement suicide capability CONSTRUCT-VALIDITY COLLEGE-STUDENTS FIT INDEXES BEHAVIORS THOUGHTS FEARLESSNESS VALIDATION DEATH German Capability for Suicide Questionnaire Interpersonal Theory of Suicide factor analysis measurement suicide capability Australia Belgium Humans Psychological Theory Psychometrics Reproducibility of Results Students Suicidal Ideation Suicide Surveys and Questionnaires Universities Humans Reproducibility of Results Suicide Psychological Theory Psychometrics Students Universities Australia Belgium Suicidal Ideation Surveys and Questionnaires |
| url | http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1173043 http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/93745 |