Can Emotional Well-Being Maintain Health and Prevent Suicide in Later Life? A National Priority for Research

Abstract

The study of suicide and its prevention has been dominated by a focus on factors that increase the risk of an individual dying by suicide. Relatively less attention has been paid to protective factors, those that reduce the likelihood or mitigate the impact of suicidal ideation and behavior. [ [1] O'Connor RC Nock MK The psychology of suicidal behaviour. The Lancet Psychiatry. 2014; 1: 73-85 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (633) Google Scholar ] Characteristics of older adults suggest that protective factors could play an important role in reducing the toll that suicide takes in later life. Suicidal behavior in older adulthood tends to be more lethal than at younger ages due to the older person's reduced physical reserves (less likely to survive an injury), greater likelihood of social isolation (reduced likelihood of detection and rescue), and because a higher proportion of older adults who do take their own lives use firearms and act with greater planning and intent to die. [ [2] Conwell Y Suicide later in life: challenges and priorities for prevention. Am J Prev Med. 2014; 47 (Suppl 2): S244-S250 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (79) Google Scholar ] Moving “upstream” to equip older people with resources that protect them from becoming suicidal, or acting on thoughts of death if they do, may be an effective approach to decreasing deaths by suicide in later life. Life-Satisfaction, Engagement, Mindfulness, Flourishing, and Social Support: Do they Predict Depression, Suicide Ideation, and History of Suicide Attempt in Late Life?The American Journal of Geriatric PsychiatryPreviewNegative life experiences and stressors have long been understood to precipitate the development of mental disorders.1 Responses to adverse life events are contingent on a variety of individual differences such as cognitive function,2 personality,3 and psychosocial characteristics4 as well as societal factors such as minority stress,5 ageism,6 lack of resources, and socioeconomic status.7 Protective factors are characteristics that can 1) decrease the probability of developing a disorder and/or can 2) lower the severity of a disorder. Full-Text PDF