Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Reasons for Living as a Strength-Based Approach to Suicide Prevention

  • Reference work entry
  • First Online:
Book cover Suicide Risk Assessment and Prevention

  • 915 Accesses

Abstract

Reasons for living can be conceptualized as an individual’s reasons for choosing to continue to live when faced with the thought of suicide. The theory behind the study of reasons for living is that as negative beliefs contribute to the development of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, so do adaptive beliefs decrease the likelihood of engaging in suicidal thoughts and behaviors. The question of why someone would choose to live when considering suicide can be described from a positive psychology perspective as a reflection on meaning and purpose, indicating a shift from studying the role of negative emotional states toward a focus on satisfaction with life and psychological well-being. In studies of reasons for living, core factors shown to be protective against suicide include beliefs about coping, a sense of belonging, social support, and religion or spirituality. This chapter argues for a holistic approach to suicide prevention and treatment, which focuses not only on the cause of distress but emphasizes personal strengths and ameliorative resources.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 649.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 699.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Hedegaard H, Curtin SC, Warner M. Suicide mortality in the United States, 1999–2017. Hyattsville: National Center for Health Statistics; 2018. 7 p. NCHS Data Brief, no 330.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Linehan MM, Goodstein JL, Nielsen SL, Chiles JA. Reasons for staying alive when you are thinking of killing yourself: the reasons for living inventory. J Consult Clin Psychol. 1983;51(2):276–86.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Shneidman ES. Suicide, sleep, and death: some possible interrelations among cessation, interruption, and continuation phenomena. J Consult Psychol. 1964;28(2):95–106.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Kovacs M, Beck AT. The wish to die and the wish to live in attempted suicides. J Clin Psychol. 1977;33(2):361–5.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Hirsch JK, Chang EC, Rabon JK, editors. A positive psychological approach to suicide: theory, research, and prevention. Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland AG; 2019.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Patsiokas AT, Clum GA. Effects of psychotherapeutic strategies in the treatment of suicide attempters. Psychotherapy. 1985;22(2):281–90.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Seligman ME, Csikszentmihalyi M. Positive psychology: an introduction. Am Psychol. 2000;55(1):5–14.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Shneidman ES. Suicide as psychache: a clinical approach to self-destructive behavior. Lanham: Jason Aronson; 1993.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Beck AT. Hopelessness as a predictor of eventual suicide. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1986;487(1):90–6.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Abramson LY, Metalsky GI, Alloy LB. Hopelessness depression: a theory-based subtype of depression. Psychol Rev. 1989;96(2):358–72.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Wenzel A, Beck AT. A cognitive model of suicidal behavior: theory and treatment. Appl Prev Psychol. 2008;12(4):189–201.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Baumeister RF. Suicide as escape from self. Psychol Rev. 1990;97(1):90.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Joiner TE. Why people die by suicide. Cambridge: Harvard University Press; 2005.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Linehan MM. Cognitive-behavioral treatment of borderline personality disorder. New York: Guilford Publications; 1993.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Cunha IM, Pereira CC, Zanetti AC, Vedana KG. Inspiration project: motivation, experiences, messages of support, overcoming and prevention of suicidal behavior. Arch Psychiatr Nurs. 2020;35(3):329–33.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Bakhiyi CL, Jaussent I, Beziat S, Cohen R, Genty C, Kahn JP, Leboyer M, Le Vaou P, Guillaume S, Courtet P. Positive and negative life events and reasons for living modulate suicidal ideation in a sample of patients with history of suicide attempts. J Psychiatr Res. 2017;88:64–71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Heisel MJ, Flett GL. Does recognition of meaning in life confer resiliency to suicide ideation among community-residing older adults? A longitudinal investigation. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2016;24(6):455–66.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Frankl VE. The will to meaning: foundations and applications of logotherapy. Penguin, London,England; 2014.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Kissane M, McLaren S. Sense of belonging as a predictor of reasons for living in older adults. Death Stud. 2006;30(3):243–58.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Balazs J, Miklosi M, Halasz J, Horváth LO, Szentiványi D, Vida P. Suicidal risk, psychopathology, and quality of life in a clinical population of adolescents. Front Psych. 2018;9:17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Fairweather-Schmidt AK, Batterham PJ, Butterworth P, Nada-Raja S. The impact of suicidality on health-related quality of life: a latent growth curve analysis of community-based data. J Affect Disord. 2016;203:14–21.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Farabaugh A, Bitran S, Nyer M, Holt DJ, Pedrelli P, Shyu I, Hollon SD, Zisook S, Baer L, Busse W, Petersen TJ. Depression and suicidal ideation in college students. Psychopathology. 2012;45(4):228–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Robinson S, Kissane DW, Brooker J, Hempton C, Burney S. The relationship between poor quality of life and desire to hasten death: a multiple mediation model examining the contributions of depression, demoralization, loss of control, and low self-worth. J Pain Symptom Manag. 2017;53(2):243–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Stecz P, Slezáčková A, Millová K, Nowakowska-Domagała K. The predictive role of positive mental health for attitudes towards suicide and suicide prevention: is the wellbeing of students of the helping professions a worthwhile goal for suicide prevention? J Happiness Stud. 2019;21(6):1–20.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Sisask M, Värnik A, Kolves K, Konstabel K, Wasserman D. Subjective psychological wellbeing (WHO-5) in assessment of the severity of suicide attempt. Nord J Psychiatry. 2008;62(6):431–5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Wang MC, Richard Lightsey O, Pietruszka T, Uruk AC, Wells AG. Purpose in life and reasons for living as mediators of the relationship between stress, coping, and suicidal behavior. J Posit Psychol. 2007;2(3):195–204.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Carr AJ, Higginson IJ. Are quality of life measures patient centred? Br Med J. 2001;322(7298):1357–60.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Chiu Y-C, Liu S-I, Lin C-J, Huang Y-H, Fang C-K, Sun F-J, et al. The psychometric properties in the Chinese version of the reasons for living inventory and the relationship with suicidal behaviors among psychiatric patients in Taiwan. Behav Med. 2018;45(3):197–209.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Connell DK, Meyer RG. The reasons for living inventory and a college population: adolescent suicidal behaviors, beliefs, and coping skills. J Clin Psychol. 1991;47(4):485–9.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Malone KM, Oquendo MA, Haas GL, Ellis SP, Li S, Mann JJ. Protective factors against suicidal acts in major depression: reasons for living. Am J Psychiatr. 2000;157(7):1084–8.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Oquendo MA, Cia EB, Graver R, Mora M, Montalvan V, Mann JJ. Spanish adaptation of the reasons for living inventory. Hisp J Behav Sci. 2000;22(3):369–81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Edelstein BA, Heisel MJ, McKee DR, Martin RR, Koven LP, Duberstein PR, et al. Development and psychometric evaluation of the reasons for living – older adults scale: a suicide risk assessment inventory. The Gerontologist. 2009;49(6):736–45.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Rieger SJ, Peter T, Roberts LW. ‘Give me a reason to live!’ Examining reasons for living across levels of suicidality. J Relig Health. 2014;54(6):2005–19.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Heisel MJ, Neufeld E, Flett GL. Reasons for living, meaning in life, and suicide ideation: investigating the roles of key positive psychological factors in reducing suicide risk in community-residing older adults. Aging Ment Health. 2015;20(2):195–207.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Westefeld JS, Scheel K, Maples MR. Psychometric analyses of the college student reasons for living inventory using a clinical population. Meas Eval Couns Dev. 1998;31(2):86–94.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Gutierrez PM, Osman A, Barrios FX, Kopper BA, Baker MT, Haraburda CM. Development of the reasons for living inventory for young adults. J Clin Psychol. 2002;58(4):339–57.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Dogra AK, Basu S, Das S. Impact of meaning in life and reasons for living to Hope and suicidal ideation: a study among college students. Psychol Mental Health. 2011;18:89–102.

    Google Scholar 

  38. Osman A, Kopper BA, Barrios FX, Osman JR, Besett T, Linehan MM. The brief reasons for living inventory for adolescents (BRFL-A). J Abnorm Child Psychol. 1996;24(4):433–43.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Osman A, Downs WR, Kopper BA, Barrios FX, Baker MT, Osman JR, et al. The reasons for living inventory for adolescents (RFL-A): development and psychometric properties. J Clin Psychol. 1998;54(8):1063–78.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Dobrov E, Thorell LH. “Reasons for living” – translation, psychometric evaluation and relationships to suicidal behaviour in a Swedish random sample. Nord J Psychiatry. 2004;58(4):277–85.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Pompili M, Innamorati M, Lester D, Brunetti S, Tatarelli R, Girardi P. Gender effects among undergraduates relating to suicide risk, impulsivity, aggression and self-efficacy. Personal Individ Differ. 2007;43(8):2047–56.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. Innamorati M, Pompili M, Ferrari V, Cavedon G, Soccorsi R, Aiello S, et al. Psychometric Properties of the Reason for Living Inventory in Italian University Students. In: Psychometric properties of the reasons for living inventory in Italian University students. 2006;4(1).

    Google Scholar 

  43. Roncini L, Testoni I, Zamperini A. Validation of the Italian Version of the reasons for living inventory. 2009;16:151–9.

    Google Scholar 

  44. Garza MJ, Cramer RJ. The Spanish reasons for living inventory (SRFL-I): factor structure and association with suicide risk among Spanish speaking Hispanics. Arch Suicide Res. 2011;15(4):354–71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  45. Oquendo MA, Dragatsi D, Harkavy-Friedman J, Dervic K, Currier D, Burke AK, Grunebaum MF, Mann JJ. Protective factors against suicidal behavior in Latinos. J Nerv Ment Dis. 2005;193(7):438–43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  46. Range M, Knott M. Twenty suicide assessment instruments: evaluation and recommendations. Death Stud. 1997;21(1):25–58.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. San Francisco VA Medical Center, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Maryke Van Zyl

  2. University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Priscilla Phan, Connie Fee & Sophal Khiv

Authors
  1. Maryke Van Zyl
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Priscilla Phan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Connie Fee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Sophal Khiv
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Maryke Van Zyl .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Suicide Prevention Center, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy

    Maurizio Pompili

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

Van Zyl, M., Phan, P., Fee, C., Khiv, S. (2022). Reasons for Living as a Strength-Based Approach to Suicide Prevention. In: Pompili, M. (eds) Suicide Risk Assessment and Prevention. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-42003-1_12

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation