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Reasons for Living, Spirituality and Suicidal Ideation Among Adults in a Spiritually Integrated Inpatient Programme
Joseph M Currier1, Joshua D Foster1, Charlotte vanOyen Witvliet2,3
1Psychology Department, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA.
Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy
|July 30, 2025
Summary
Spirituality and reasons for living (RFL) can protect psychiatric patients from suicidal thoughts. Survival beliefs and moral objections to suicide are key factors that interact with spirituality to reduce suicide risk.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Health
- Clinical Psychology
- Spiritual Care
Background:
- Existing research indicates spirituality and reasons for living (RFL) may reduce suicide risk in psychiatric patients.
- The interplay between specific RFL components and core spiritual aspects in buffering suicidal ideation remains under-examined.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the links between RFL, spirituality, and suicidal ideation in psychiatric inpatients.
- To explore how RFL and spirituality interact to protect against suicidal ideation during psychological distress.
Main Methods:
- 242 adult inpatients at a spiritually integrated behavioral health center completed validated measures.
- Assessed RFL (e.g., moral objections, survival beliefs), spirituality (transcendence, accountability), suicidal ideation, anxiety, and depression.
Main Results:
- Moral objections and survival/coping beliefs strongly correlated with spiritual transcendence/accountability and better mental health.
- Survival/coping beliefs independently mitigated suicidal ideation.
- Moral objections to suicide appeared to mediate spirituality's protective effect against suicide risk.
Conclusions:
- RFL and spirituality are interconnected protective factors against suicidal ideation in high-risk psychiatric populations.
- Routine assessment of RFL and spirituality is recommended in psychiatric settings.
- Further longitudinal research is needed to confirm the temporal relationships between these factors.
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