Leigha Rose Waikel

I am currently a trauma-track intern at the VA Maryland Healthcare System/University of Maryland Consortium and a doctoral candidate in the clinical program at the University of Georgia.

My research interests lie at the intersection of personality, externalizing psychopathology, and suicide risk, including:

• Advancing the conceptualization, assessment, and prevention of suicide by leveraging dimensional models of personality and psychopathology (e.g., the Five Factor Model, the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology). 

• Applying longitudinal modeling techniques to capture the dynamic interactions between personality, cognitive-affective, and interpersonal processes from which suicidal thoughts and behaviors emerge. These include multilevel modeling, latent growth modeling, and continuous-time dynamic curve modeling. 

• Examining the role of externalizing traits (e.g., antagonism, impulsivity) and states (e.g., acute negative affect, anger, aggression) in the development of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. 

I use open science practices to strengthen the transparency and replicability of my work, including preregistration, registered reports, and open sharing of materials, code, and data whenever possible. I have also been involved in meta-science projects aimed at improving the robustness of psychological science.

*Note: I publish as Leigha Rose

Email: leighawaikel@gmail.com

Google Scholar: Click here

OSF Profile: https://osf.io/qmces/

Here are some of my recent/current projects. To see all of my publications, check out my Google Scholar.

Personality and Suicide Meta-Analysis

Main Findings

• Neuroticism (tendency to feel strong negative emotions) was significantly positively correlated with suicide-related outcomes

• Extraversion (sociability and positive emotionality) was negatively related to these outcomes

• Bridging the fields of personality and suicide research could improve our prediction of suicide

Rose, L., Phillips, N. L., Vize, C. E., Ghosh, A., Follet, L., Bauer, B. W., Lynam, D. R., & Miller, J. D. (revise & resubmit). Associations between personality and suicide: A meta-analysis.

Click here to read the pre-print.

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Personality & Suicide Risk Dynamics Across Adolescence

Main Findings

• Suicidal thoughts fluctuated more rapidly and dissipated more quickly than suicidal behaviors

  • "Half-life" of thoughts: ~ 7 months

  • "Half-life" of behaviors: > 3 years

• Neuroticism changed dynamically with suicidal thoughts across time

  • Neuroticism predicted faster increases & slower decreases in suicidal thoughts

  • Dynamic increases/spikes in Neuroticism predicted spikes in suicidal thoughts

Rose, L., Park, J., Robins, R. W., & Meza, J. (under review). Associations between personality and suicide risk trajectories across adolescence and early adulthood: Findings from an 18-year longitudinal study of Mexican-origin youth.

Read the pre-print here.

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Psychopathy and Suicide Meta-Analysis

Main Findings

• Contrary to theory, total psychopathy scores were positively correlated with suicidal ideation, behavior, and NSSI

• Some psychopathic traits were linked to suicide risk (Meanness, Disinhibition) while others may be protective (Boldness, Fearless Dominance)

Rose, L., Phillips, N. L., Lynam, D. R., Bauer, B. W., & Miller, J. D. (2025). Associations between psychopathy and suicide: A meta-analytic review. Personality Disorders: Theory, Research, and Treatment.

Click here to read the paper!

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Comparing Personality to Other Predictors of Suicide in Older Adults

Main Findings

• Personality explains latent suicidal thoughts & behaviors above and beyond other risk factors such as:

  • Physical Health & Pain

  • Social & Leisure Engagement

  • Alcohol & Substance Use

  • Internalizing & Externalizing Psychopathology

Rose, L., Bauer, B. W., Carter, N. T., Lynam, D. R., Miller, J. D., Bogdan, R., Hill, P. L., & Oltmanns, T. F. (revise & resubmit). Longitudinal stability and predictors of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in older adults: The importance of personality.

Click here to read the pre-print.

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Personality predicting the volatility of suicidal ideation and suicide crisis symptoms across time

Main Findings

• Neuroticism was associated with suicidal ideation and suicide crisis symptoms at baseline

  • and predicted average levels of ideation and crisis symptoms across the EMA study period

• Neuroticism predicted the volatility of these outcomes across time

  • Individuals higher in Neuroticism reported more rapid fluctuations in suicidal ideation and crisis symptoms

Rose, L., Phillips, N. L., Sappenfield, C. A., Miller, J. D., & Bauer, B. W. (revise & resubmit). Personality traits as predictors of suicidal crisis symptoms.

Click here to read the pre-print.