This study examines how hopelessness impacts youth engagement in violent behavior over time. The data are from waves I and II of The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). Poisson regression was used to analyze contributors to violence in just wave I, and then again across time in wave II using explanatory and control variables from wave I. Results indicate that hopelessness is positively associated with violent behavior. Furthermore, while hopelessness and most of the other explanatory variables predicted violent behavior in wave I, almost all the variables became non-significant or negative except hopelessness and a measure of community when predicting violence in wave II. This shows that hopelessness is a concept that needs to be explored more closely when studying violence among youth.

Thesis PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references.

Previous research on symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has suggested clinically significant impairment is experienced below threshold for diagnosis. Recent studies have provided evidence that measures of hopelessness, negative affect, depression, and physical activity are independently related with increased PTSD symptoms and impairment. This constellation of variables has yet to be examined in a trauma-exposed population, so it is unknown whether these variables collectively predict significant impairment and PTSD. This study examined if: a) both clinical and subclinical symptoms of PTSD will be associated with significant impairment as measured by indices of hopelessness, negative affect, depression, and physical activity; b) measures of hopelessness, negative affect, depression, and physical activity will significantly contribute to the categorical diagnosis of Clinical PTSD in trauma-exposed populations; and c) Measures of hopelessness, negative affect, depression, and physical activity will significantly contribute to the categorical diagnosis of subclinical PTSD in trauma-exposed populations. Results indicate that the predictor variables are not associated with either of the outcome variables. The full model including hopelessness, negative affect, depression, and physical activity did not significantly contribute to the categorical diagnosis of clinical PTSD and subclinical PTSD in trauma-exposed populations. Limitations and further directions are explored in the discussion.

OBJECTIVE: Adults with mood disorders are at elevated risk for suicide. Psychological features such as hopelessness increase their risk for suicide ideation. Few studies have examined psychological constructs posited to lower risk for suicide ideation. The authors tested the hypothesis that reasons for living (RFL) are inversely related to suicide ideation. DESIGN: This report is a secondary analysis of cross-sectional data. SETTING: Participants were recruited from the clinical services of three teaching hospitals in Rochester, NY. PARTICIPANTS: The sample consisted of 125 adults 50 years or older receiving treatment for a mood disorder. MEASUREMENTS: A diagnostic interview and measures of suicide ideation, depression, hopelessness, and RFL were included in the assessment battery. Dependent variables were presence and severity of suicide ideation. Data were analyzed using multivariate logistic and linear regressions. RESULTS: Patients who reported higher levels of fear of suicide were less likely to report suicide ideation. The relationships between hopelessness and both the presence and severity of suicide ideation were stronger among those who reported greater levels of responsibility to family. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians working with at-risk older adults are encouraged to explore their patients' RFL. These cross-sectional findings point to the need for prospective research examining the associations among different RFL, hopelessness, and suicide ideation in depressed older adults.

Objective: Gratitude, or thankfulness for positive aspects of life, is related to psychosocial well-being and decreased psychopathology, and may reduce suicide risk. We explored four potential hypotheses purported to explain the beneficial outcomes of gratitude (schematic, positive affect, broaden-and-build, and coping), hypothesizing that hopelessness (schematic), depression (positive affect), social support (broaden-and-build), and substance use (coping) would mediate the gratitude-suicide linkage. Participants: 913 undergraduate students from a mid-size, southeastern U.S. university. Methods: Respondents completed online self-report questionnaires including the Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised, Gratitude Questionnaire, Beck Hopelessness Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, Duke Social Support Index, Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, and Drug Abuse Screening Test. Results: Supporting theory and hypotheses, gratitude was related to less suicide risk via beneficial associations with hopelessness, depression, social support, and substance misuse. Conclusions: The linkage between gratitude and suicide risk appears to be predicated on the beneficial association of gratitude to negative mood and interpersonal functioning.

Objective: Suicide risk is a significant public health concern for college students and may be exacerbated by hopelessness resulting from negative life events (NLE), yet may be ameliorated by self-compassion. We examined the mediating role of hopelessness in the relation between NLE and suicidal behavior, and the moderating influence of self-compassion on all model paths. Participants: Participants were 338 undergraduates (89% white; 67% female). Data were collected from December 2014 to December 2015. Methods: Participants completed the Life Events Checklist for College Students, Beck Hopelessness Inventory, Self-Compassion Scale, and Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire–Revised. Results: Negative life events were related to greater hopelessness and, in turn, to more suicidal behavior, yet self-compassion attenuated this effect. Conclusions: Self-compassion may buffer the NLE–hopelessness linkage, thereby reducing suicide risk among college students. Therapeutic promotion of self-compassion, and reduction of hopelessness, may be important suicide prevention strategies on college campuses.

Objective: Suicide risk is a significant public health concern for college students and may be exacerbated by hopelessness resulting from negative life events (NLE), yet may be ameliorated by self-compassion. We examined the mediating role of hopelessness in the relation between NLE and suicidal behavior, and the moderating influence of self-compassion on all model paths. Participants: Participants were 338 undergraduates (89% white; 67% female). Data were collected from December 2014 to December 2015. Methods: Participants completed the Life Events Checklist for College Students, Beck Hopelessness Inventory, Self-Compassion Scale, and Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire–Revised. Results: Negative life events were related to greater hopelessness and, in turn, to more suicidal behavior, yet self-compassion attenuated this effect. Conclusions: Self-compassion may buffer the NLE–hopelessness linkage, thereby reducing suicide risk among college students. Therapeutic promotion of self-compassion, and reduction of hopelessness, may be important suicide prevention strategies on college campuses.

No description available.

Homelessness has been a problem in the United States as early as the 1700s and kinship care networks provided emergency shelters and assistance to victims, neighbors, and family members. Previous studies on homelessness have focused primarily on the causes and effects of the phenomenon or on people who were not able to work due to mental or physical disabilities. The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore and understand the lived experiences of 24-55 year old homeless individuals who are able to work but who used homeless shelters in Charlotte, North Carolina, thus helping fill a gap in the literature. The theoretical foundation of the study was functionalism. Snowball sampling was used to find five participants and data were collected using semi-structured interviews based on Rubin and Rubin's approach to interviewing. Data were analyzed using Sada's multiple stage process based on Husserl. All participants experienced worry, boredom, hopelessness, and fear of other residents. Participants also unanimously said shelters cannot be considered long-term homes. Knowledge of these experiences could enable shelter providers to develop programs and services aimed at helping residents feel safer and able to stay for longer periods of time when needed as well as ways to reduce worry, boredom, and hopelessness. This would help promote positive social change by giving residents the ability to take more advantage of counseling and job training programs for those who want to find ways to get out of the condition of homelessness.

In a series of body objects, this project aims to discover the specific emotion of hopelessness through the physical sensation of gravity. The project is investigating a femininity concept by exploring the emotions evoked when reading about the myth of Pandora and how she is used in academic reports such as Diseases of Women to argue upon discriminating arguments directed towards a female identity. The outcome of the workshops situate this project in a participatory driven field where somatic experiences make it possible to discuss sensitive topics such as hopelessness and gender equality. The outcome of the project is five sensorial body objects that suggest possibilities in designing wear to trigger emotions. It should be presented as a participatory installation in an exhibition.