The Relationship Between Social Comparisons and Suicidal Ideation in Older Adults: The Mediating Role of Decision-Making Styles

One of the most important crises in the world seems to be suicide and its consequences. It seems that suicide, especially with increasing age, has an upward trend and has greatly increased in older population. Therefore, the present study was to investigate the relationship between social comparisons and suicidal thoughts with the mediating role of decision-making styles in older adults. This was a correlational study, of structural equation modeling (SEM) type. The statistical population included older adults over 65 years old living in Shiraz, Iran, among whom 265 were selected using convenience sampling method and according to the inclusion criteria. Participants filled out Beck scale for suicidal ideation (BSS), Scott and Bruce’s decision-making styles questionnaire, and Gibbons and Buunk’s social comparison questionnaire. The collected information was analyzed using SEM in SPSS-26 and Lisrel-8.8 software. The results of the present study indicate that the hypothesized model demonstrates a good fit. Furthermore, the findings suggest that social comparison is related to suicidal ideation through the mediating role of decision-making styles. Specifically, logical and intuitive decision-making styles were significantly and negatively associated with suicidal ideation, while the avoidant, dependent, and immediate decision-making styles were positively and significantly related to suicidal ideation. Based on the findings of this research, psychologists and experts are advised to address suicide ideation as a global and escalating issue by assisting individuals in shifting their focus towards the positive aspects of their lives and refraining from making superficial comparisons. Furthermore, reducing suicide ideation can be achieved by imparting decision-making skills to older adults.
EXTENDED ABSTRACT
 Introduction
Various studies have shown that suicide probability increases with age, and accordingly the growing attention has been paid to suicide phenomena in adults, particularly older adults. Suicide behavior is multifaceted and complex, making it challenging to predict. Among numerous factors, suicidal ideation appears to be the most significant predictor of suicidal behavior. Although the research literature has explored various variables related to suicidal ideation in older adults, less attention has been given to social factors. One significant factor that can contribute to suicidal ideation is social comparison. Studies have demonstrated that individuals tend to engage in upward social comparisons, and when individuals perceive themselves as having lesser capabilities, these comparisons can be detrimental. Given that older individuals may experience declining abilities in various domains, social comparisons can have more severe consequences. While some studies have examined the relationship between social comparison and suicidal ideation, none have investigated the mechanisms underlying this relationship. Research in this area has highlighted decision-making styles as a variable, and exploring this variable in the older adults can help interpret the relationship between suicidal ideation and social comparisons. Therefore, due to the lack of studies in this domain, the aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between suicidal ideation and social comparison through the mediating role of decision-making styles.
Method
The present research employed a correlational design, of structural equation modeling (SEM) type. The statistical population consisted of all older adults aged 65 and above residing in Shiraz, Iran, among whom 265 participants (130 males and 135 females) were selected using convenience sampling as the research sample. Inclusion criteria comprised (1) being aged 65 or above, (2) absence of physical and mental disabilities, (3) literacy, and (4) willingness to participate in the study and complete the questionnaires, while exclusion criteria included (1) consumption of psychotropic drugs and (2) physical and mental disabilities. Participants completed Beck scale for suicidal ideation (BSS), Scott and Bruce’s decision-making styles questionnaire, and Gibbons and Buunk’s social comparison questionnaire. The questionnaires were administered to eligible older adults, and necessary guidance for completing them was provided. Finally, the data obtained from the questionnaires were analyzed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient and SEM in SPSS-21 and Lisrel-1.9 software.
 Results
Before conducting data analysis, it was determined that the distribution of scores for all variables was normal, and the results indicated no correlation between errors and no collinearity between variables. To evaluate the proposed model, SEM was utilized. The results of Pearson’s correlation tests revealed significant positive correlations between suicidal ideation with social comparison, intuitive, avoidant, dependent and immediate decision-making styles. Moreover, there was significant negative correlations between suicidal ideation with rational decision-making styles. The final model of the study can be seen in Figure 1.
The fit indices for the obtained model were as follows: X²/df = 2/31, CFI = 0.92, TLI = 0.91, NFI = 0.94, AGFI = 0.94, and RMSEA = 0.06, indicating an adequate fit of the model. The results of the Sobel test indicated that rational decision-making style in the relationship between social comparison and suicidal ideation (Z = 57.3, p < 0.01), intuitive decision-making style in the relationship between social comparison and suicidal ideation (Z = 97.2, p < 0.01), avoidant decision-making style in the relationship between social comparison and suicidal ideation (Z = 5.3, p < 0.01), dependent decision-making style in the relationship between social comparison and suicidal ideation (Z = 32.2, p < 0.01), and immediate decision-making style in the relationship between social comparison and suicidal ideation (Z = 42.2, p < 0.01) played a significant mediating role.
Conclusion
According to the studies, individuals tend to engage in social comparisons with those perceived as better than themselves. This tendency can lead to feelings of inadequacy, negative emotional experiences, and even suicidal ideation. When individuals engage in social comparisons, these judgments are often unrealistic, and they hold a superficial attitude towards the well-being and capabilities of others. Examining information derived from social judgments can influence subsequent decision-making processes. Cognitive psychologists believe that rational or intuitive decision-making styles lead to better decision outcomes in life, while avoidant, dependent, and impulsive decision-making styles have negative effects on decision-making processes. Decision-making deficits can impair individuals’ problem-solving abilities, leading to an accumulation of stressors that may exacerbate distress and provide a basis for suicidal ideations, ultimately leading to risky behaviors such as self-harm and suicide. Individuals with a rational decision-making style carefully evaluate all possible options and choose the best and most desirable one. Individuals with an intuitive decision-making style have clear insights into the outcome of their decisions and select an appropriate option. These two styles, with the help of logic and insight, can reduce suicidal ideations. Individuals with a dependent decision-making style lack intellectual independence and constantly seek support from others, which becomes more challenging in old age as social support becomes scarcer, with few close ones to rely on. Avoidant decision-making involves avoiding decision-making and problem-solving efforts, which can create a crisis situation and increase conflicts due to the inability to choose from available options. Based on the above, the dependent and avoidant decision-making styles can create a basis for negative emotions. In impulsive decision-making, individuals aim to quickly select their desired option in the shortest possible time and seek relief from pain and distress, which significantly increases suicidal ideations.
Ethical Consideration
Ethical Code
To comply with ethical standards in the research, the study was pre-registered at Payame Noor University, Tehran.
Financial Support
 This study had no financial support
Authors’ Contributions
A.M: Conceptualization, methodology, Software, validation, formal analysis, data curation, resources, Writing- Original draft, writingreview & editing.
Conflict of Interest
The author had no conflicts of interest.
Acknowledgments
Respectful appreciation is extended to the esteemed older participants for their cooperation and assistance in completing the questionnaires.
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