Understanding suicide in young adults: comparative insights from Spain and Japan through the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide

Young adults are culturally different at an interpersonal level, however how ITS applies to each population remains to be evaluated. This study investigated the cross-cultural relevance of the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (ITS) within young adults from Spain n=260 and Japan n=177. To examine the ITS, all participants completed self-report questionnaires measuring Thwarted Belongingness, Perceived Burdensomeness, and Capability for Suicide. We examined whether each construct significantly predicted the severity of suicidal risk in both samples. We also determined whether the strength of the effects of Thwarted Belongingness and Perceived Burdensomeness on suicidal risk differed between the two samples due to the greater degree of importance placed on interpersonal relationships in both countries. Through the stepwise multiple regression model, we found “perceived burdensomeness” as a key predictor of suicidal risk in both samples in contrast to the interaction of the three independent variables, “thwarted belongingness” as a significant predictor for suicidal risk in the Japanese sample compared to the Spanish sample, “acquired capability for suicide” turned out to be a predictor for suicidal risk with more weight in the Spanish sample. Findings will inform about the cultural adaptation of suicide preventions between the two countries for young adults.