# Mechanisms underlying the association of firearm availability and vulnerability to suicide

> **NIH NIH R61** · OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $1,122,122

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
The U.S. general population suicide rate has increased by more than 35% over the past 20 years. Firearm
suicides have risen by 15% during this same timeframe, and account for the majority of U.S. suicides and
nearly two-thirds of all firearm-related deaths. Firearm availability contributes to suicide mortality in part by
increasing the probability of a fatal outcome following suicidal behavior. Firearm availability may also contribute
to suicide mortality indirectly through its influence on anticipatory anxiety and cognitive control, two
biobehavioral processes that can increase vulnerability to suicidal behaviors. Our primary objective is to
identify candidate targets for interventions and programs intended to prevent firearm suicide. To achieve this
objective, we will enroll three target groups, half of whom will have a history of suicide ideation: (a) handgun
owners who regularly carry a firearm, (b) handgun owners who do not regularly carry a firearm, and (c) non-
gun owners. We will then compare these groups on a variety of self-report, psychophysiological, behavioral,
and ecological assessment methods. We will (Aim 1) reveal biobehavioral processes associated with
firearm availability and suicide risk using the NPU-threat startle paradigm and the stop-signal reaction time
test to identify differences in behavioral reactivity under conditions of uncertain threat (i.e., anticipatory anxiety)
and differences in inhibitory control. We hypothesize that handgun owners and subjects with a history of
suicide ideation will be associated with increased anticipatory anxiety and decreased inhibitory control. We will
(Aim 2) examine associations among firearm possession, emotional reactivity, and suicide risk
following socially ambiguous situations using the Video Social Emotional Information Processing (V-SEIP)
task to assess differences in negative emotional reactivity during socially ambiguous situations. We
hypothesize that subjects who imagine they are in possession of a firearm will show increased emotional
reactivity during socially ambiguous situations. We will (Aim 3) identify contextual factors that influence
emotional reactivity among handgun owners using ecological momentary assessment (EMA). We
hypothesize that handgun owners and subjects with a history of suicide ideation will show more variability in
negative mood state. We further hypothesize that variability in negative mood state will be increased when a
subject is in possession of a firearm. The proposed project will provide novel information about developmental,
individual, and contextual factors that contribute to firearm suicide, and will identify potential intervention
targets that could be strengthened to reduce the risk associated with firearm availability. This research will also
inform subsequent studies that will rigorously investigate the firearm-suicide correlation. Finally, our results
could reveal new clues for improving the effectiveness of firearm injury and mo...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10166259
- **Project number:** 1R61MH125759-01
- **Recipient organization:** OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Craig J. Bryan
- **Activity code:** R61 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $1,122,122
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-09-21 → 2024-09-22

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10166259

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10166259, Mechanisms underlying the association of firearm availability and vulnerability to suicide (1R61MH125759-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10166259. Licensed CC0.

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