Development of the College Student Reasons for Living Inventory

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Clinical Psychology
• Mental Health Assessment

Background:

• Suicidal risk assessment is crucial in college populations.
• Existing instruments may not fully capture unique stressors faced by students.
• Development of a tailored instrument is needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate the College Student Reasons for Living Inventory (CSRLI).
• To measure the importance college students place on reasons for living when contemplating suicide.
• To provide a tool for assessing suicidal risk in this demographic.

Main Methods:

• Study 1: Item generation by college students, followed by factor analysis to develop the CSRLI (46 items, 6 factors).
• Study 2: Initial evaluation using correlational, confirmatory factor, and discriminant analyses.
• Adaptation of the Reasons for Living Inventory (RLI) for adult populations.

Main Results:

• The CSRLI was developed with six factors: Survival and Coping Beliefs, College and Future-Related Concerns, Moral Objections, Responsibility to Friends and Family, Fear of Suicide, and Fear of Social Disapproval.
• Five factors align with the adult RLI, while 'College and Future-Related Concerns' is unique to students.
• Initial analyses suggest the CSRLI is a promising predictor of suicidal risk.

Conclusions:

• The CSRLI is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing reasons for living in college students.
• The instrument's unique factor addresses specific student concerns, enhancing its applicability.
• The CSRLI holds potential for improving suicidal risk assessment and intervention in higher education settings.