Psychic Pain Among Men: Factor Structure, Psychosocial Correlates, and Mediation of Social Connectedness and Suicidal Ideation

Abstract

AbstractThe Psychic Pain Scale (PPS) measures a form of mental pain involving overwhelming negative affect and loss of self-control. Understanding psychic pain among men is needed to advance efforts for preventing male suicide. The present study examined the factor structure and psychosocial correlates of the PPS among 621 online help-seeking men. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated a higher-order factor comprising affect deluge and loss of control factors. Psychic pain evinced significant associations with general psychological distress,r= 0.64; perceived social support,r= −0.43; social connectedness,r= −0.55; and suicidal ideation,r= 0.65 (allp’s < 0.001)—the latter three remained significant after controlling for general distress. Psychic pain also mediated the association between social disconnection and suicidal ideation (standardized indirect effect = −0.14 [−0.21, −0.09]), after controlling for social support and distress. Findings support the PPS as a promising measure for investigating psychic pain among men and indicate psychic pain as a link between social disconnection and suicidal ideation.