What are some of the steps you took in life that brought you to your current area of research?
During my first year of college, I read the book “Why People Die by Suicide” by Thomas Joiner. This book helped me see that suicide could be studied scientifically and I wanted to experience firsthand what suicide prevention research was like. The summer after my first year of college, I completed a summer internship with Professor Matthew Nock at Harvard University (who would later become my PhD advisor). The first task I completed that summer was transcribing interviews with individuals who has recently attempted suicide. This work illuminated to me that behind suicide prevalence rates are a collection of people and narratives. I couldn’t shake the immense challenges the participants faced, the resilience they exhibited, and how many people remarked that they had regretted attempting suicide. That experience sparked what’s become a passion for suicide research and prevention. The ultimate goal of my area of research is to help improve the lives of people with suicidal thoughts and behaviors.
What is your current area of research and what’s an example of a current project you are involved in?
My current area of research is the understanding, prediction, and prevention of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. My program of research has three specific lines of interest: (1) describing the form and functions of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, (2) identifying dynamic risk and protective factors for suicidal thoughts and behaviors, and (3) developing personalized and scalable interventions for suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Much of my research to date has focused on using new technologies to study these topics.
A project I was involved in throughout my PhD focused on monitoring individuals at risk for suicide using smartphones and wearables. Participants were recruited from either the psychiatric emergency room or a psychiatric inpatient unit. Past research has found that the period right after release from the hospital is when risk is highest for suicidal behavior. Through intensive monitoring of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of people during the transition out of the hospital, the goal of this project was ultimately to be able to identify who and when people are most at risk. A key focus of this project was taking research “out into the wild” and following people in their daily lives rather than asking participants to come into the laboratory.
What are some interesting findings that have come from your past research projects?
One finding focused on the timescale of suicidal thinking (Coppersmith et al., 2023). This project explored a foundational question about suicide, how long do suicidal thoughts last? We used frequent smartphone based surveys and a number of statistical analyses to try to zoom in fluctuations in suicidal thinking over time. We found that suicidal thoughts change rapidly; elevated states of suicidal thinking lasted around one to three hours. This project provided one of the most detailed characterized of the dynamics of suicidal thoughts to date. A key implication of this project is the need for adaptive and accessible interventions to help people when they experience these rapid shifts in suicidal thinking.
A second finding focused the generality of risk factors for suicidal thinking (Coppersmith et al, 2024). This project focused on the question of if the same risk factors applies to all people or if different people have different risk factors. For example, is increased feelings of hopelessness associated with increased suicidal thinking for all people or just some people? We built personalized statistical models with smartphone survey data for each participant in the study to test if risk factors generalized across people. We found that there was significant heterogeneity in the personalized models, suggesting there are different pathways through which different people come to experience suicidal thoughts. An important implication of this project was the need for personalization in assessments and interventions for suicide prevention.
What excites you most about your next couple of years at UMass?
I am most looking forward to collaborating with other members of the UMass community. One of the things that excited me most about the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences is the scale and scope of expertise in the department. I am eager to learn from others in the community and for my program of research to expand and grow in this environment. I am also especially excited about the opportunities for mentorship that this position at UMass provides. Mentoring undergraduates and research assistants was one of the things I enjoyed most in graduate school. The opportunity to teach courses and help train future psychologists at UMass is an immense privilege and I am very grateful for the opportunity.
References:
Coppersmith, D. D. L., Ryan, O., Fortgang, R. G., Millner, A. J., Kleiman, E. M., & Nock, M. K. (2023). Mapping the timescale of suicidal thinking. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120(17), e2215434120.
Coppersmith, D. D. L., Kleiman, E. M., Millner, A .J., Wang, S. B., Arizmendi, C., Bentley, K. H., DeMarco, D., Fortgang, R. G., Zuromski, K. L., Haim, A., Onnela, J. P., Bird, S. A., Smoller, J. W., Mair, P., Nock, M. K. (2024). Heterogeneity in suicide risk: Evidence from personalized dynamic models. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 180, 104574.