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Psychological Pain in Suicidal and Non-Suicidal Populations : Findings from the Translated German Mee-Bunney Psychological Pain Assessment Scale

Aschenbrenner, Lara Marie ; Brogna, Stella ; Teismann, Tobias ; Frei, Adriana ; Sedlinská, M. A. ; Glaesmer, Heide ; Forkmann, Thomas ; Walther, Sebstian ; Ehnvall, Anna LU and Gysin-Maillart, Anja LU (2025) In Archives of Suicide Research
Abstract

Objective: Assessing psychological pain is crucial for evaluating suicide risk. This study examined differences in psychological pain between patients with suicide attempts, those with suicidal ideation, clinical, and non-clinical controls using a newly translated German version of the Mee-Bunney Psychological Pain Assessment Scale (MBPPAS). Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted with two independent samples collected a different sites (sample 1: n = 409; sample 2: n = 171), resulting in a total sample of N = 580 (59% female; age: M = 34.6, SD = 13.2). All analyses were conducted on the combined full sample. Participants were divided into four groups: patients with a suicide attempt (SUAT), patients with suicidal ideation but no... (More)

Objective: Assessing psychological pain is crucial for evaluating suicide risk. This study examined differences in psychological pain between patients with suicide attempts, those with suicidal ideation, clinical, and non-clinical controls using a newly translated German version of the Mee-Bunney Psychological Pain Assessment Scale (MBPPAS). Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted with two independent samples collected a different sites (sample 1: n = 409; sample 2: n = 171), resulting in a total sample of N = 580 (59% female; age: M = 34.6, SD = 13.2). All analyses were conducted on the combined full sample. Participants were divided into four groups: patients with a suicide attempt (SUAT), patients with suicidal ideation but no lifetime suicide attempt (SUID), clinical control patients without suicidal ideation or attempts (CLIN), and non-clinical control participants (HLTH). MBPPAS scores were compared across groups. Results: SUAT reported significantly higher psychological pain than SUID (p <.001, d = 0.42), CLIN (p <.001, d = 1.46), and HLTH (p <.001, d = 1.04). SUID had significantly higher MBPPAS scores than both CLIN (p <.001, d = 3.01) and HLTH (p <.001, d = 2.57). Internal consistency of the German MBPPAS was excellent (α =.93, ω =.93), and the scale showed good psychometric properties regarding convergent, incremental, and criterion validity. Conclusions: The findings highlight significant differences in psychological pain across clinical and control groups, supporting the utility of the German MBPPAS in identifying psychological pain in patients at varying levels of suicide risk.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
epub
subject
keywords
Assessment, psychological pain, psychometric characteristics, suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, suicide risk
in
Archives of Suicide Research
publisher
Routledge
external identifiers
  • pmid:41084858
  • scopus:105019365136
ISSN
1381-1118
DOI
10.1080/13811118.2025.2573059
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © 2025 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
id
841c5582-400e-434d-9596-aa881472fe11
date added to LUP
2026-01-19 13:51:26
date last changed
2026-01-20 03:00:03
@article{841c5582-400e-434d-9596-aa881472fe11,
  abstract     = {{<p>Objective: Assessing psychological pain is crucial for evaluating suicide risk. This study examined differences in psychological pain between patients with suicide attempts, those with suicidal ideation, clinical, and non-clinical controls using a newly translated German version of the Mee-Bunney Psychological Pain Assessment Scale (MBPPAS). Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted with two independent samples collected a different sites (sample 1: n = 409; sample 2: n = 171), resulting in a total sample of N = 580 (59% female; age: M = 34.6, SD = 13.2). All analyses were conducted on the combined full sample. Participants were divided into four groups: patients with a suicide attempt (SUAT), patients with suicidal ideation but no lifetime suicide attempt (SUID), clinical control patients without suicidal ideation or attempts (CLIN), and non-clinical control participants (HLTH). MBPPAS scores were compared across groups. Results: SUAT reported significantly higher psychological pain than SUID (p &lt;.001, d = 0.42), CLIN (p &lt;.001, d = 1.46), and HLTH (p &lt;.001, d = 1.04). SUID had significantly higher MBPPAS scores than both CLIN (p &lt;.001, d = 3.01) and HLTH (p &lt;.001, d = 2.57). Internal consistency of the German MBPPAS was excellent (α =.93, ω =.93), and the scale showed good psychometric properties regarding convergent, incremental, and criterion validity. Conclusions: The findings highlight significant differences in psychological pain across clinical and control groups, supporting the utility of the German MBPPAS in identifying psychological pain in patients at varying levels of suicide risk.</p>}},
  author       = {{Aschenbrenner, Lara Marie and Brogna, Stella and Teismann, Tobias and Frei, Adriana and Sedlinská, M. A. and Glaesmer, Heide and Forkmann, Thomas and Walther, Sebstian and Ehnvall, Anna and Gysin-Maillart, Anja}},
  issn         = {{1381-1118}},
  keywords     = {{Assessment; psychological pain; psychometric characteristics; suicidal ideation; suicide attempt; suicide risk}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Routledge}},
  series       = {{Archives of Suicide Research}},
  title        = {{Psychological Pain in Suicidal and Non-Suicidal Populations : Findings from the Translated German Mee-Bunney Psychological Pain Assessment Scale}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13811118.2025.2573059}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/13811118.2025.2573059}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}