Hospitalized teenagers at risk of suicide can articulate their own personal reasons for living, which can be an important aspect of safety planning and treatment, according to a report published today in Psychiatric Services.
Ana M. Ugueto, Ph.D., of the University of Texas Health Science Center, and colleagues used retrospective data from the electronic medical records of 211 teenagers (71% female) who were admitted to the adolescent unit of a psychiatric hospital in 2023 for suicidal thoughts or behaviors. As part of the unit’s routine clinical services, staff collected data on demographic characteristics, suicide risk, referral details for individual therapy, and reasons for living.
Responses were varied but were often related to family, friends, and pets as well as the adolescents’ future aspirations. The responses were qualitatively analyzed to determine the most frequently occurring words and identify word-based patterns and contextual factors that indicate what matters to adolescents.
The most frequently occurring words were “my,” “family,” and “friends.” “Mom” was the individual family member mentioned most often, with “siblings” also cited repeatedly—specifically “sister” and “brother.” The most frequently occurring nouns were “family,” “friends,” “future,” “mom,” “life,” “sister,” “siblings,” “goals,” “brother,” and “dog.” Among verbs, “want” and “be” were used most often, typically in combination with life goals or career aspirations, indicating future-oriented thinking.
“This study elucidated the particular importance of key people, which can reveal insights about adolescents’ motivations for living,” Ugueto and colleagues wrote. They noted that the interpersonal theory of suicide highlights thwarted belonging and perceived burdensomeness as important in suicidal behavior. “Reasons for living indicate unique protective factors that may counter risk factors and suggest ways in which youths feel they belong and have a purpose.”
Ugueto and colleagues concluded: “Identification of individualized reasons for living can provide unique insights into who and what is most important to adolescents. Reasons for living can feasibly be used to build rapport, establish therapy goals, and personalize evidence-based treatments, thereby reducing adolescents’ suicidal thoughts and behaviors.”
For related information, see the Psychiatric News article “Adolescent Suicide Rises, With Highest Risk for Black Girls.”
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