Citation

Lizardi D, Currier D, Galfalvy H, Sher L, Burke A, Mann J, Oquendo M. J. Nerv. Ment. Dis. 2007; 195(5): 451-455.

Affiliation

Columbia University School of Social Work, New York, New York; Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, New York; and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/NMD.0b013e3180522661

PMID

17502812

Abstract

It is unclear why certain individuals choose not to engage in suicidal behavior. Although important, protective factors against suicidal behavior have seldom been studied. The Reasons for Living Inventory is a measure of putative protective factors that is inversely related to a history of suicide attempts, but its predictive utility remains relatively untested. This study sought to determine whether the Reasons for Living Inventory predicts future suicide attempts over a 2-year period. Depressed inpatients were assessed for reasons for living and were followed for 2 years. Follow-up interviews took place at 3 months, 1 year, and 2 years after discharge from the index hospitalization. Survival analysis indicates a high score on the Reasons for Living Inventory predicted fewer future suicide attempts within a 2-year period in women but not in men. Perceived reasons for living serve as protective factors against suicide attempt in women and not in men.

Language: en