Longitudinal pathways between suicidal ideation and life stress.

While much research exists linking stress and suicidality in cross-sectional paradigms, little is known regarding the longitudinal interplay of stress and suicidality across time. In addition, less research exists on suicidal ideation - a transdiagnostic precursor to suicidal behavior. Two competing, though not mutually exclusive, explanations relate to , where stress causes suicidal ideation, and , where suicidal ideation causes stress. The present study examined 101 adults self-reporting symptoms of borderline personality disorder. Participants completed a self-report measure of suicidal ideation and a life stress interview in a three-wave design over the course of one year. Cross-lagged panel analyses were used to examine the longitudinal relationships between suicidal ideation and interpersonal/non-interpersonal chronic life stress, as well as dependent/interpersonal episodic life stress. Results supported chronic and episodic interpersonal stress generation for suicidal ideation, although not across all timepoints.