From defeat to entrapment—and back again: Reciprocal dynamics among constructs from the Integrated Motivational-Volitional model of suicide in young adults

The Integrated Motivational-Volitional (IMV) model of suicide proposes that feelings of defeat give rise to entrapment, which in turn contributes to suicidal ideation (SI). Although research generally supports this pathway, less is understood about how defeat, entrapment, and SI mutually influence each other over short periods of time. Within a three-week ecological momentary assessment period, we examined short-term temporal associations among defeat, entrapment, and SI (passive and active) in a sample of young adults (N = 156, ages 18-29; data collected 2022-2023) with a recent history of suicidal thoughts or behaviours. We used residual dynamic structural equation models to test concurrent and prospective within-person associations among variables. Higher-than-usual levels of defeat and entrapment were each associated with greater passive and active SI at the same assessment and predicted greater SI at the subsequent assessment. Defeat and entrapment also demonstrated reciprocal associations over time, such that greater levels of each predicted subsequent increases in the other. Similarly, higher-than-usual levels of passive SI predicted subsequent increases in both defeat and entrapment, whereas active SI predicted subsequent increases in defeat only. Findings support the central role of defeat and entrapment in short-term changes in SI. Further, they suggest that the relationship between defeat and entrapment may be reciprocal rather than strictly unidirectional, challenging assumptions of the IMV model. The generalizability of these findings to other age groups and clinical populations remains to be established.