A structural test of the three‐step theory (3ST) of suicide in the Iranian population: From ideation to action

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Suicide is one of the leading causes of death, especially in adolescents and young adults. This study aimed to perform a structural test of the three‐step theory (3ST) of suicide in the Iranian population. METHODS: The research population included Iranian people over 18 years of age. The participants were 600 persons selected through convenience sampling. The data in this study were collected using the Suicide Attempt Questionnaire, the Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire‐Revised, the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire, the Impulsiveness Scale, the Depressive Symptom‐Suicidality Subscale, ACSSACSS‐Fearlessness About Death, the Psychache Scale, the Beck Hopelessness Scale, and the Suicide Capacity Scale. RESULTS: Data analysis showed that pain and positive helplessness (β = 0.45; p < 0.05) positively interact with suicidal behavior. Moreover, pain and negative helplessness significantly interact with suicidal ideation (β = 0.65; p < 0.001). The data also showed that the absence of interpersonal needs plays a protective role. A comparison of the three suicidal capacity factors indicated that only the practical capacity differentiates the ideation and action subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: The insights from this study provide a clear picture of the underlying causes of suicidal ideation and behavior and can help counselors and other human health professionals working with people with suicidal thoughts and behavior to prevent suicide attempts. Following functional models, they can also make serious efforts to perform therapeutic interventions to eliminate or reduce suicidal thoughts and feelings.