Reasons for Living and Their Protective Value: a Turkish Sample

The present study investigated variables associated with suicide, e.g. depression, loneliness, & more specifically, reasons for living. 232 urban youth & adults answered a questionnaire. As predicted, results indicated that people with more optimism toward life were less prone to depression & loneliness. Females were significantly more optimistic, a finding divergent from the international literature. Cultural factors & related contradictory findings in the West are discussed. (33 refs.)