The Meaning in Life in Suicidal Patients: A Systematic Review

Course overview

Course Description: This course is based upon material published in the journal Medicina and is available as an open-access article. Abstract: Background and Objectives: Research on suicidal behavior (SB) has frequently focused more on risk factors than protective factors. Since the historic works of Viktor E. Frankl, who inquired how some Nazi concentration camps prisoners maintained their will to live though confronted with pervasive absurdity, Meaning in Life (MiL) has been interpreted as a potent resiliency factor. MiL then declined along a multitude of theoretical perspectives and was associated with various functioning domains of the individual. Surprisingly, few studies investigated the role of MiL on SB. We aimed to review and synthetize current literature on possible associations between MiL and SB, which included suicidal ideation (SI), suicidal attempts (SA), and completed suicide, focusing on two MiL constructs (the presence of MiL and search for MiL) from the Michael F. Stegers recent conceptualization. Material and Methods: A systematic strategy following PRISMA guidelines was used to search for relevant articles in Pubmed/MEDLINE, Scopus, PsycINFO, and ScienceDirect (January 1980-February 2019) and yielded 172 articles, 37 of which met our inclusion criteria. Results: MiL emerged as a protective factor against SI, SA, and completed suicides, directly or through mediation/moderation models with other SB-related variables. When distinguishing the presence of MiL and the search for MiL, a consensual protective impact was described for the former. Data for the latter were less consistent but rather oriented towards a non-protective impact Conclusions: These findings could have clinical repercussions for SB prevention, in both suicide risk assessment refinement and psychotherapeutic interventions. Further research is needed to examine the dynamic interplay of the two constructs. This course on suicide and the meaning of life for suicidal patients is designed for psychologists, social workers, professional counselors, nurses, and substance abuse counselors who do clinical work. In addition, this course is appropriate for intermediate and advanced level practitioners who wish to develop their knowledge of constructs in suicidal patients. The course material includes a literature review of risk factors and research. It may also be useful for licensed clinicians who require continuing clinical education courses for license renewal. The course is based on a journal article that includes research. It contains statistical analysis and data that some clinicians enjoy reading and others do not. A significant benefit of reading research-based articles for continuing education is they provide practitioners with the latest findings in their field. Authors: Costanza, Prelati, and Pompili Learning Objectives: This course will provide the practitioner with detailed information regarding finding meaning in life and how this relates to suicidality. Specifically, a professional will: Identify associations between the meaning in life and suicidal behavior. Describe the impact of meaning in life on suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and completed suicides. Identify clinical repercussions for suicide prevention. Citation: Costanza, A., Prelati, M., and Pompili, M. (2019). The meaning in life in suicidal patients: The presence and search for constructs. A systematic review. Medicia, 2019, 55, 456.