Reducing Self-Dehumanization to Examine the Effects on Oxytocin and Suicide Risk
Florida State University
Summary
The goal of this experiment is to further determine if self-dehumanization is a novel risk factor for suicide. This study will reduce self-dehumanization using a novel re-humanization condition and compare this group to a control group to analyze the pathway between higher perceptions of self-dehumanization, suicidal ideation, and changes in oxytocin concentrations. It is hypothesized that participants randomly assigned to the re-humanized condition will exhibit decreases in suicidal ideation and increases in oxytocin concentrations as compared to the control condition, which will not display significant changes. Further, we will explore if the magnitude of the oxytocin response will partially mediate the change in suicidal ideation.
Description
Purpose: Humans are inherently social beings, and the need for belonging and connection is fundamental. Severe perceptions of social exclusion, non-belonging, and isolation can result in significant psychological harm, including suicide, which claims nearly 50,000 lives annually in the U.S. and affects over 13 million individuals through suicidal ideation (SI). A key predictor of SI, thwarted belongingness, arises from feelings of exclusion and non-belonging, yet more specificity is needed to identify the types of non-belonging that contribute most to suicide risk. Self-dehumanization-a percep…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18–40 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria: * Between the ages of 18 and 40 * Biological females will be screened to ensure that they have a regular menstrual cycle with a length of 26-30 days and will be scheduled according to their cycle (see Research Strategy for details). * At least a moderate level of self-dehumanization (i.e., a sum score of 12 or greater out of a possible score of 28) and current suicidal ideation Exclusion Criteria: * Participation in the Self-Dehumanized Study by this study team * A phobia of needles (i.e., trypanophobia) * Any medical conditions precluding them from engaging in a 10-hour…
Interventions
- OtherRehumanized Intervention
Participants will: 1\. be provided with a lay summary of an ostensible research article that used quantitative and qualitative data to capture the experiences of feeling "less than human" and mechanisms for reclaiming human identity. The summary will reveal general themes of humanness based on participant responses including body and soul awareness, agency, connection, and creativity. 1. write a 30-minute reflective essay on "how did the rehumanization efforts described in the survey make people feel more human?" where they will be encouraged to use examples from their own lives 2. asked to create videos based on the insights shared in the essays. The researchers will explain, "We would like to record you reading your essay on camera. We believe it would be especially impactful for clinicians developing these interventions to hear directly from someone who has recently navigated similar experiences."
- OtherControl Intervention
Participants will: 1\. be provided with a lay summary of an ostensible research article that used quantitative and qualitative data to capture the experiences of political attitudes and routes to political sophistication. The summary will reveal general themes of political sophistication based on participant responses including gathering information through diverse news outlets, analyzing policy and legislation, and participation in civic engagement 1. write a 30-minute reflective essay on ""how did the political efforts described in the survey refine political attitudes?" where they will be encouraged to use examples from their own lives 2. asked to create videos based on the insights shared in the essays. The researchers will explain, "We plan to take excerpts of what you write here and share it with future voters to aid in developing political attitudes."
- Diagnostic TestClinical Interview
Location
- Florida State UniversityTallahassee, Florida