Perceived Entrapment, Goal Adjustment and Goal Ambivalence as Predictors for Suicide Ideation in High-Risk Prisoners.

This article focuses on examining the relationship between perceived entrapment, goal regulation, and suicide ideation among male high-risk prisoners, using the integrated motivational-volitional (IMV) model of suicide. In a cross-sectional study of 106 male prisoners in a Category C resettlement prison in England and Wales, internal entrapment (feeling trapped by one's own thoughts and feelings) was found to significantly predict current suicide ideation beyond established risk factors such as depression and social support. Unexpectedly, higher goal re-engagement (the ability to pursue new goals) was also associated with increased suicide ideation, while goal disengagement and goal ambivalence did not independently predict ideation. The findings suggest that assessing internal entrapment and goal-related factors may enhance suicide risk management in prison settings, though further longitudinal and multi-site research is recommended to clarify causal relationships and generalizability.