Purpose in Life, Satisfaction With Life, and Suicide Ideation in a Clinical Sample

This study examined the role of purpose in life & satisfaction with life in protecting against suicide in a clinical sample of 49 psychiatric patients. Zero-order correlations indicated significant associations between suicide ideation & the various predictors in the hypothesized directions. Regression analyses illustrated that purpose in life & satisfaction with life accounted for significant additional variability in suicide ideation scores above & beyond that accounted for by negative psychological factors alone. Purpose in life also mediated the relation between satisfaction with life & suicide ideation & moderated the relation between depression & suicide ideation. (42 refs.) JA