Basic Psychological Needs and Subsequent Suicidal Thoughts in Real Time

Introduction Basic psychological needs (BPN) include feelings of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Both unsatisfied BPN and frustrated BPN have been linked to suicidal thoughts. However, the relationship between real‐time BPN and suicidal thoughts remains unknown. This study utilized ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to explore how BPN relates to subsequent suicidal thoughts. Methods Undergraduate students ( n = 460) completed baseline self‐report measures of BPN frustration and satisfaction, then 6 daily EMA surveys with items assessing suicidal thoughts, frustrated BPN, and satisfied BPN. Results Four hundred and sixty students completed a total of 57,972 assessments during the study period. Multi‐level regression models indicated that within‐person frustrated competence ( b = 0.02, 95% CI = 0.01–0.02, p < 0.001), frustrated relatedness ( b = 0.02, 95% CI = 0.01–0.03, p < 0.001), satisfied autonomy ( b = −0.01, 95% CI = −0.02 to −0.01, p < 0.001), BPN satisfied competence ( b = −0.01, 95% CI = −0.01 to −0.00, p < 0.001), and BPN satisfied relatedness ( b = −0.01, 95% CI = −0.01 to −0.00, p < 0.001) were significantly related to suicidal thoughts at the following timepoint. Conclusion Real‐time BPN (2/3 frustration subscales, all satisfaction subscales) are significantly associated with subsequent suicidal thoughts over short time periods. Further research is warranted to determine if these findings hold true among clinical populations and whether BPN are relevant treatment targets for individuals with suicidal thoughts.