Addressing Suicidal Ideations Through the Realization of Meaningful Personal Goals

Abstract

A personal goal intervention program was offered to early retirees aged 50 to 65 years with the objective of increasing their subjective well-being. The program was aimed at helping the participants set, plan, pursue, and realize their personal goals. A subsample of 21 participants with suicidal ideas was identified from a larger sample (N = 354) of retirees living in the community who took part in the study to evaluate the program. The experimental (n = 10) and control (n = 11) groups were compared on their answers to 16 goal and psychological well-being questionnaires. By the end of the program, the experimental group had improved significantly more than the control group on hope, goal realization process, serenity, flexibility, and positive attitude toward retirement. The levels of depression and psychological distress significantly decreased. These gains were maintained 6 months later. The positive results obtained from this study could lead to an innovative way to help people with suicidal ideations.

Stability amidst turmoil: Grit buffers the effects of negative life events on suicidal ideation

“…That is, a gritty individual shows consistent interest in a goal (passion) and works toward this goal consistently (perseverance). While other stability-related factors (such as conscientiousness and self-control) have been studied as buffers to suicide (Lapierre et al, 2007), the construct of grit represents a unique facet of personality that may be especially adept at buffering against negative life events. Although similar, conscientiousness and self-control both represent shorter-term goal orientations than grit (Duckworth and Gross, 2014).…”

Feasibility and utility of positive psychology exercises for suicidal inpatients

“…However, PP exercises, including those focusing on gratitude, mindfulness and using strengths, have led to (often persistent) improvements in mood symptoms in patients with depressive symptoms [19,23,24], and a prior intervention on meaningful goals in older adults with suicidal thoughts led to greater self-efficacy and psychological well-being [25].…”

Do Meaning in Life and Purpose in Life Protect Against Suicide Ideation Among Community-Residing Older Adults?

“…Preliminary findings demonstrated a significant reduction in suicide ideation, the wish to die, and depressive symptom severity ; complete study findings additionally demonstrated a significant improvement in MIL and enhanced psychological well-being over the course of treatment (Heisel et al submitted). Although not grounded in existential theory, two quasi-experimental intervention studies, of integrated reminiscence and narrative therapies for depressed older adults (Bohlmeijer et al 2008) and a cognitive-behavioral group designed to train early retirees to set, plan, and pursue meaningful goals, showed posttreatment increases in psychological wellbeing, yet no between-group increases in MIL or PIL (Lapierre et al 2007). These findings collectively indicate that psychological interventions attending to existential factors can enhance mental health and well-being, enhance perceptions of MIL, and may ultimately help reduce or resolve suicide ideation and the wish to die.…”