Research

Research in the PRISM Lab broadly aims to understand, improve the assessment of, and intervene upon processes that confer risk for suicidal ideation, intent, and behaviors. We use a transdiagnostic framework - which means our research spans across and beyond traditional diagnostic categories - to understand (1) contributors to the development and maintenance of suicidal thoughts and behaviors; and (2) when (and under what circumstances) transitions from suicidal thoughts to actions occur. Below, we detail some of our ongoing projects.

Acute Suicidal Crises


We are interested in understanding the phenomenology, etiology, and time-course of acute suicidal crises, as well as factors that facilitate a transition from suicidal thoughts to actions more broadly. As part of this work, Dr. Rogers has collaborated on teams proposing two potential suicide-specific diagnoses - Acute Suicidal Affective Disturbance (ASAD) and Suicide Crisis Syndrome (SCS) - and co-authored a submission to the DSM Steering Committee. Ongoing work focuses on utilizing intensive longitudinal designs, such as ecological momentary assessment, to understand the nature and time-course of acute suicidal crises. Additionally, the PRISM Lab was recently awarded funding by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (2025 - 2027) to develop and validate brief measures of warning signs for suicide for use in both research and clinical settings.

Illustrative Publications:
  • Rogers, M. L., Jeon, M. E., Zheng, S., Richards, J. A., Joiner, T. E., & Galynker, I. (2023). Two sides of the same coin? Empirical examination of two proposed characterizations of acute suicidal crises - Suicide Crisis Syndrome and Acute Suicidal Affective Disturbance. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 162, 123-131. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.05.001
  • Rogers, M. L., Jeon, M. E., Duffy, M. E., & Joiner, T. E. (2022). Thinking too much - Rumination as a catalyst of the real-time associations between affective states and suicidal ideation. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 90, 670-681. doi:10.1037/ccp0000753
  • Rogers, M. L., Chu, C., & Joiner, T. E. (2019). The necessity, validity, and clinical utility of a new diagnostic entity - Acute Suicidal Affective Disturbance (ASAD). Journal of Clinical Psychology, 75, 999-1010. doi:10.1002/jclp.22743
  • Rogers, M. L., Chiurliza, B., Hagan, C. R., Tzoneva, M., Hames, J. L., Michaels, M. S., Hitschfeld, M. J., Palmer, B. A., Lineberry, T. W., Jobes, D., & Joiner, T. E. (2017). Acute Suicidal Affective Disturbance - Factorial structure and initial validation across psychiatric outpatient and inpatient samples. Journal of Affective Disorders, 211, 1-11. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2016.12.057

Cognitive Facilitators of Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors


Several lines of our lab’s work focus on how different cognitive factors, including forms of rumination, attentional biases, and psychological closeness to preferred methods, are associated with increases in suicide risk. Dr. Rogers has published several articles examining facets of rumination - and developed and validated a self-report measure assessing suicide-specific rumination - to better understand the role of repetitive negative thinking in relation to suicide-related outcomes. She has also contributed several publications and is currently collecting data to better understand the role of behaviorally assessed cognitive biases in identifying suicide risk. Finally, Dr. Rogers has completed several studies identifying the role of psychological closeness to one’s preferred suicide methods in increasing one’s suicide risk over time. Our lab plans to continue each of these lines of research in our future studies.

Illustrative Publications:
  • Rogers, M. L., Murley, W. D., & Clary, K. L. (2025). Development and psychometric evaluation of the Psychological Closeness to Suicide Methods Scale. Psychological Assessment, 37, 71-84. doi:10.1037/pas0001360
  • Clary, K. L., Murley, W. D., Ortiz, R., & Rogers, M. L. (2024). A step forward in conceptualizing psychological closeness/distance to suicide methods - A qualitative approach. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 54, 649-662. doi:10.1111/sltb.13075
  • Rogers, M. L., Law, K. C., Lawrence, O. C., & Mandel, A. A. (2024). Perseveration on suicidal thoughts and images in daily life - A dynamic systems modeling investigation of the cognitive model of suicide. Behavior Research and Therapy, 177, 104524. doi:10.1016/j.brat.2024.104524
  • Rogers, M. L., Schofield, C. A., & Armey, M. F. (2024). Adaptation and validation of a suicide-focused Word Sentence Association Paradigm to assess suicide-specific interpretation biases. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 182, 104619. doi:10.1016/j.brat.2024.104619
  • Rogers, M. L., Law, K. C., Houtsma, C., Tucker, R. P., Anestis, M. D., & Joiner, T. E. (2022). Development and initial validation of a scale assessing suicide-specific rumination - The Suicide Rumination Scale. Assessment, 29, 1777-1794. doi:10.1177/10731911211033897
  • Rogers, M. L., Gorday, J. Y., & Joiner, T. E. (2021). Examination of characteristics of ruminative thinking as unique predictors of suicide-related outcomes. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 139, 1-7. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.05.001

Ecological Momentary Assessment


In addition to understanding risk/protective factors for suicide in the short-term, our lab also strives to improve the use of ecological momentary assessment as a methodology for understanding suicide. Specifically, we have conducted studies, including one study funded by the American Psychological Foundation, to understand suicidal participants’ experiences with real-time monitoring and identify the optimal assessment schedules for (1) understanding suicide-related phenomena while (2) minimizing participant burden.

Illustrative Publications:
  • Rogers, M. L. (2021). Feasibility and acceptability of ecological momentary assessment in a fully online study of community-based adults at high risk for suicide. Psychological Assessment, 33, 1215-1225. doi:10.1037/pas0001054
  • Several publications in progress - check back soon!

Measurement and Quantitative Methods


Finally, our lab strives to improve the precision and ecological validity of measurement and apply advanced quantitative methods to better understand and prevent suicide. Some of these projects involve the development and validation of new measures, the adaptation and evaluation of existing measures, and bringing analytic approaches from distinct fields to the suicide research literature.

Illustrative Publications:
  • Robison, M. L., Campione, M., Joiner, T. E., Gallyer, A. J., & Rogers, M. L. (in press). Development and validation of a multidimensional capability for suicide scale - A multisample investigation. Assessment.
  • Rogers, M. L., Bauer, B. W., Gai, A. R., Duffy, M. E., & Joiner, T. E. (2021). Examination of measurement invariance of the Acquired Capability for Suicide Scale. Psychological Assessment, 33, 464-470. doi:10.1037/pas0000998
  • Rogers, M. L., & Joiner, T. E. (2019). Exploring the temporal dynamics of the interpersonal theory of suicide constructs - A dynamic systems modeling approach. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 87, 56-66. doi:10.1037/ccp0000373
  • Rogers, M. L., & Joiner, T. E. (2018). Severity of suicidal ideation matters - Reexamining correlates of suicidal ideation using quantile regression. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 74, 442-451. doi:10.1002/jclp.22499