The Presence and the Search Constructs of Meaning in Life in Suicidal Patients Attending a Psychiatric Emergency Department.

Alessandra Costanza,Hélène Richard-Lepouriel,Maurizio Pompili,Kerstin Weber,Alessandra Canuto,Marc Baertschi

doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00327

Abstract

Meaning in Life (MiL) is considered protective against suicidal behavior (SB). However, few studies specifically addressed the role of the constructs, “presence of MiL” and “search for MiL,” and their dynamic interplay. In this cross-sectional study of patients with SB (N = 199) visiting a psychiatric Emergency Department for either suicidal ideation (SI) or suicide attempt (SA), we pursued the following objectives: 1) to explore the relationship between the two constructs; 2) to verify the protective value of presence of MiL on SB; and 3) to assess the influence of search for MiL on the relationship between presence of MiL and SI. The two constructs were found to be independent of one another. Higher presence of MiL was globally associated with lower SB levels, particularly SI. Search for MiL was not related to SB and did not moderate the relationship between presence of MiL and SI. In conclusion, formal support for the role of presence of MiL against SB in a psychiatric sample was demonstrated. These findings, with a view toward refinement of SB risk assessment and new psychotherapeutic approaches, may lead to an enrichment of the dialogue with suicidal patients to help alleviate their unbearable suffering. Our conclusions must be replicated in psychiatric clinical populations in settings other than a psychiatric ED and by using a longitudinal prospective and case-control study design.

Highlights

The presence of Meaning in Life (MiL) has long been associated with protection against suicide, as initially observed in prisoners of Nazi concentration camps [1, 2]
Only a limited number of studies have reported on MiL in relation to suicidal behavior (SB), more research is available on MiL in those who live with chronic pain
We aimed to investigate the impact of both MiL constructs in a clinical population composed of patients visiting the psychiatric Emergency Department (ED) of a general hospital for SB, namely suicidal ideation (SI) or suicide attempt (SA)

Summary

Introduction

The presence of Meaning in Life (MiL) has long been associated with protection against suicide, as initially observed in prisoners of Nazi concentration camps [1, 2]. The MiL profiles were not studied here in relation to SB, the authors proposed replicating such analyses in a sample of newly diagnosed chronic pain patients to possibly observe more changes in maintaining, losing, or restoring their MiL [20, 21] In patients suffering from chronic pain, a protective role of the presence of MiL against suicidal ideation was postulated [22] These data suggest that clinical interventions that take into account both of the constructs could enrich the encounter and the dialogue with the suicidal patient, to refine the SB risk assessment, and to offer new approaches for psychotherapeutic interventions [23,24,25,26]

Objectives

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Results

Conclusion