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Suicide Prevention Measures at High-Risk Locations: A Goal-Directed Motivation Perspective
Laura Joyner1,2, Jay-Marie Mackenzie2, Andy Willis3
1Department of Psychology, Middlesex University, London NW4 4BT, UK.
Behavioral Sciences (Basel, Switzerland)
|August 28, 2025
Summary
Suicide prevention measures can be better understood by examining how they influence goal pursuit during an attempt. This framework helps identify how interventions impact decision-making and motivational drive, improving suicide prevention strategies.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Public Health
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Suicide prevention effectiveness is hard to measure, especially for location-based interventions.
- Many interventions rely on psychological processes like help-seeking behaviors.
- Understanding decision-making during suicide attempts is crucial for effective prevention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore how suicide prevention measures influence goal pursuit during suicide attempts.
- To apply the GOAL Architecture framework to suicide prevention.
- To analyze how interventions affect perceptions of distance, time, and progress.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of suicide prevention strategies.
- Application of the GOAL Architecture descriptive framework.
- Analysis of psychological processes influencing suicide attempt disengagement.
Main Results:
- Prevention measures can alter perceptions of "distance", "time", and "rate of progress".
- These changes can influence motivational drive for actions like accessing means or seeking help.
- The framework helps understand real-time decisions during suicide attempts.
Conclusions:
- The GOAL Architecture provides a novel way to understand suicide prevention.
- Interventions can be optimized by considering their impact on goal pursuit dynamics.
- Further research should explore risks and person-level factors in this context.
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