Why Young People do not Kill Themselves: the Reasons for Living Inventory for Adolescents

The reliability, validity, & predictive power of the Reasons for Living Inventory for Adolescents (RFL-A) was assessed. A group of 206 adolescent psychiatric inpatients completed this inventory & other measures. Additional information including diagnosis & suicide status were obtained from medical records. It was determined the RFL-A is a valid & reliable measure of adolescent suicide risk potential. Additionally, it possesses better predictive power than the Beck Hopelessness Scale. A discussion of the clinical & research utility of the RFL-A is included along with suggestions for future research. (50 refs.)