Abstract
BackgroundA substantial increase in rates of suicide worldwide, especially among late adolescents and young adults, has been observed. It is important to identify specific risk and protective factors for suicide-related behaviors among late adolescents and young adults. Identifying specific factors across the masses, not only in the Western, but also in the Asian context, helps researchers develop empirically informed intervention methods for the management of protective and risk factors of suicide.MethodsIn the current study, 2074 students (706 males), filled out the Meaning in Life Questionnaire, with subscales of Search for Meaning (MLQ-S) and Presence of Meaning (MLQ-P); the Future Disposition Inventory-24 (FDI-24), with subscales of Positive Focus (PF), Suicide Orientation (SO), and Negative Focus (NF); and the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS). These scales measure protective and risk factors that are linked to suicidal behaviors; while suicidal behaviors were measured by the Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R). Mediation analyses were performed to test the models with both the MLQ-S and MLQ-P as the mediators between a) hopelessness, as measured by BHS and suicidal behaviors; and b) PF, SO, and NF, as measured by FDI-24, and suicidal behaviors.ResultsWe found that only MLQ-P mediated the relation between hopelessness and suicidal behaviors; while both MLQ-P and MLQ-S mediated PF, SO, and NF (as measured by FDI-24), and suicidal behaviors, respectively.ConclusionMeaning in life, including both the presence of meaning in life and search for meaning, can be good protective factors against suicidal behaviors.
Highlights
A substantial increase in rates of suicide worldwide, especially among late adolescents and young adults, has been observed
The present study found that with the same set of IVs and DVs, the effect sizes of the mediating models on meaning in life questionnaire (MLQ)-P were a lot stronger than those on Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ-S); hypothesis 3 was supported
Search for meaning in life does act as a schema that increases the salience of meaning-relevant information [25], the current study provided evidence that it suppressed the negative disposition (Negative Focus and Suicide Orientation)
Summary
A substantial increase in rates of suicide worldwide, especially among late adolescents and young adults, has been observed. It is important to identify specific risk and protective factors for suicide-related behaviors among late adolescents and young adults. In China, in 1987–1994, suicide was the principal contributor to the observed increases in the mortality rates for young adults, ages 20–29 years [2]. Frankl suggested that we have the free will to search for meaning in our lives, even when we are facing inevitable suffering. He stated further that “meaning is something to be found rather than to be given, discovered rather than invented” ([17], p., 43). Steger and colleagues defined meaning in life as “the sense made of, and significance felt regarding, the nature of one’s being and existence” ([18], p., 81)
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