Abstract
Advancements in mobile technology offer new possibilities to examine fine-grained processes underlying suicidal ideation in everyday, real-world conditions. Across two samples, this study examined temporal changes in near-term suicidal ideation in high-risk adolescents' daily life, and whether these dynamic experiences follow distinct longitudinal trajectories. Using latent process mixed modeling for multivariate outcomes, we investigated near-term changes in two parameters of suicidal thoughts (frequency and intensity) among adolescents who completed four-daily ecological momentary assessments (EMAs) during inpatient hospitalization (Sample 1: N = 61; 843 observations) or daily surveys for four weeks after discharge (Sample 2: N = 78; 1621 observations). Proximally assessed suicidal thoughts followed three trajectories characterized by low (Sample 1: 65.6%; Sample 2: 54%), declining (Sample 1: 4.9%; Sample 2: 15%), or persistently high (Sample 1: 29.5%; Sample 2: 31%) ideation in terms of frequency and urge severity. The persistent trajectory also showed consistently high within-person variability. The persistent group was differentiated by higher hopelessness and lower coping self-efficacy compared to the declining trajectory, and by an overall more severe clinical presentation relative to the low ideation trajectory. Suicidal thoughts in everyday life, across two contexts and regardless of data resolution (EMA and daily surveys), are not homogeneous and instead follow distinct longitudinal profiles. Findings point to the importance of closely monitoring suicidal ideation to identify patterns indicative of unrelenting suicidal thinking. Addressing high hopelessness and low self-efficacy may aid in reducing persistent ideation. Improving our understanding of how suicidal ideation unfolds in real-time may be critical to optimizing timely assessment and support.