Protocol - Deterrents to Suicide - Clinical - Adult
- Classification of Suicidal Ideation and Suicidal Behavior - Adolescent - Current
- Classification of Suicidal Ideation and Suicidal Behavior - Adolescent - Epidemiology
- Classification of Suicidal Ideation and Suicidal Behavior - Adolescent - Lifetime
- Classification of Suicidal Ideation and Suicidal Behavior - Adolescent - Since Last Visit
- Classification of Suicidal Ideation and Suicidal Behavior - Adult - Current
- Classification of Suicidal Ideation and Suicidal Behavior - Adult - Epidemiology
- Classification of Suicidal Ideation and Suicidal Behavior - Adult - Lifetime
- Classification of Suicidal Ideation and Suicidal Behavior - Adult - Since Last Visit
- Intensity of Suicidal Ideation (Continuum) - Adolescent
- Intensity of Suicidal Ideation (Continuum) - Adult
- Lethality of Suicide Attempts
- Non-suicidal Self Injury
- Self-efficacy in Sickle Cell Disease
- Social Isolation
- Social Networks
- Suicidal Intent of Suicide Attempts
Description
The Reasons for Living (RFL) inventory includes 48 self-report items that measures the respondent’s various reasons for living and their attitudes about living versus attempting or committing suicide. The RFL includes subscales for survival and coping beliefs, responsibility to family, child-related concerns, fear of suicide, fear of social disapproval, and moral objections. Each item is rated on a 6-point Likert scale ranging from 1 ("not at all important") to 6 ("extremely important"). Ratings on the individual items are added together to give scores for individual subscales or to obtain an overall score for the whole inventory. Higher scores reflect greater reasons for living.
Specific Instructions
This protocol includes questions that can potentially identify respondents who are at risk of suicide. Investigators implementing this protocol should consider developing a risk management plan specific to their study to ensure the safety of participants. The following links provide additional information and guidelines for suicide-related research:
ora.research.ucla.edu/OHRPP/Documents/Policy/8/Risk_of_Suicide.pdf
Availability
Protocol
Reasons for Living
INSTRUCTIONS:
Many people have thought of suicide at least once. Others have never considered it. Whether you have considered it or not, we are interested in the reasons you would have for not committing suicide if the thought were to occur to you or if someone were to suggest it to you.
On the following pages are reasons people sometimes give for not committing suicide. We would like to know how important each of these possible reasons would be to you at this time in your life as a reason to not kill yourself. Please rate this in the space at the left on each question.
Each reason can be rated from 1 (Not At All Important) to 6 (Extremely Important). If a reason does not apply to you or if you do not believe the statement is true, then it is not likely important and you should put a 1. Please use the whole range of choices so as not to rate only at the middle (2, 3, 4, and 5) or only at the extremes (1, 6).
Even if you never have or firmly believe you never would seriously consider killing yourself, it is still important that you rate each reason. In this case, rate on the basis of why killing yourself is not or would never be an alternative for you.
1. I have a responsibility and commitment to my family.
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
2. I believe I can learn to adjust or cope with my problems
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
3. I believe I have control over my life and destiny
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
4. I have a desire to live
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
5. I believe only God has the right to end a life
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
6. I am afraid of death
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
7. My family might believe I did not love them
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
8. I do not believe that things get miserable or hopeless enough that I would rather be dead
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
9. My family depends upon me and needs me
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
10. I do not want to die
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
11. I want to watch my children as they grow
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
12. Life is all we have and is better than nothing
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
13. I have future plans I am looking forward to carrying out
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
14. No matter how badly I feel, I know that it will not last
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
15. I am afraid of the unknown
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
16. I love and enjoy my family too much and could not leave them
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
17. I want to experience all that life has to offer and there are many experiences I haven’t had yet which I want to have
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
18. I am afraid that my method of killing myself would fail
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
19. I care enough about myself to live
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
20. Life is too beautiful and precious to end it
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
21. It would not be fair to leave the children for others to take care of
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
22. I believe I can find other solutions to my problems
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
23. I am afraid of going to hell
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
24. I have a love of life
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
25. I am too stable to kill myself
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
26. I am a coward and do not have the guts to do it
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
27. My religious beliefs forbid it
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
28. The effect on my children could be harmful
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
29. I am curious about what will happen in the future
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
30. It would hurt my family too much and I would not want them to suffer
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
31. I am concerned about what others would think of me
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
32. I believe everything has a way of working out for the best
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
33. I could not decide where, when, and how to do it
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
34. I consider it morally wrong
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
35. I still have many things left to do
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
36. I have the courage to face life
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
37. I am happy and content with my life
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
38. I am afraid of the actual "act" of killing myself (the pain, blood, violence)
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
39. I believe killing myself would not really accomplish or solve anything
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
40. I have hope that things will improve and the future will be happier
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
41. Other people would think I am weak and selfish
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
42. I have an inner drive to survive
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
43. I would not want people to think I did not have control over my life
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
44. I believe I can find a purpose in life, a reason to live
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
45. I see no reason to hurry death along
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
46. I am so inept that my method would not work
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
47. I would not want my family to feel guilty afterwards
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
48. I would not want my family to think I was selfish or a coward
1[ ]Not At All Important
2[ ]Quite Unimportant
3[ ]Somewhat Unimportant
4[ ] Somewhat Important
5[ ] Quite Important
6[ ]Extremely Important
Scoring:
Survival and Coping Beliefs: items 1-24.
Responsibility to Family: items 25-31.
Child-Related Concerns: items 32-34.
Fear of Suicide: items 35-41.
Fear of Social Disapproval: items 42-44.
Moral Objections: items 45-48.
Ratings on the individual items are added together to give scores for individual subscales or to obtain an overall score for the whole inventory. Higher scores reflect greater reasons for living.
Personnel and Training Required
None
Equipment Needs
None
Requirements
| Requirement Category | Required |
|---|---|
| Major equipment | No |
| Specialized training | No |
| Specialized requirements for biospecimen collection | No |
| Average time of greater than 15 minutes in an unaffected individual | No |
Mode of Administration
Self-administered questionnaire
Lifestage
Adult
Participants
Adults, ages 18 and older
Selection Rationale
The Reasons for Living (RFL) inventory is a brief, low-burden, widely used questionnaire with good internal reliability, test-retest reliability and concurrent validity. The RFL can also be used to capture changes in beliefs (e.g., reductions in suicide behaviors).
Language
English, Other languages available at source
Standards
| Standard | Name | ID | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human Phenotype Ontology | Suicidal Ideation | HP:0031592 | HPO |
| caDSR Form | PhenX PX640902 - Deterrents To Suicide Clinical Adult | 6234577 | caDSR Form |
Derived Variables
None
Process and Review
Not applicable.
Protocol Name from Source
The Reasons for Living (RFL) inventory
Source
Linehan, M., Goodstein, J. L., Nielsen, S. L., & Chiles, J. A. (1983). Reasons for staying alive when you are thinking about killing yourself: The Reasons For Living Inventory. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 51(2): 276-286.
General References
Britton, P. C., Duberstein, P. R., Conner, K. R., Heisel, M. J., Hirsch, J. K., & Conwell, Y. (2008). Reasons for living, hopelessness, and suicide ideation among depressed adults 50 years or older. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 16(9), 736-741.
Richardson-Vejlgaard, R., Sher, L., Oquendo, M. A., Lizardi, D., & Stanley, B. (2009). Objections to suicide among depressed patients with alcohol use disorders. Journal of Affective Disorders, 117(3), 197-201.
Protocol ID
640902
Variables
Export Variables| Variable Name | Variable ID | Variable Description | dbGaP Mapping | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PX640902_Suicide_Afraid_Of_Death | ||||
| PX640902010600 | I am afraid of death | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Afraid_Of_Hell | ||||
| PX640902012300 | I am afraid of going to hell | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Afraid_Of_Killing | ||||
| PX640902013800 | I am afraid of the actual act of killing more | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Afraid_Of_Unknown | ||||
| PX640902011500 | I am afraid of the unknown | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Better_Than_Nothing | ||||
| PX640902011200 | Life is all we have and is better than nothing | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Care_To_Live | ||||
| PX640902011900 | I care enough about myself to live | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Children_Grow | ||||
| PX640902011100 | I want to watch my children as they grow | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Concerned_About_Others | ||||
| PX640902013100 | I am concerned about what others would think of me | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Control_Over_Life | ||||
| PX640902014300 | I would not want people to think I did not more | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Control_Over_Life | ||||
| PX640902010300 | I believe I have control over my life and destiny | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Cope_With_Problems | ||||
| PX640902010200 | I believe I can learn to adjust or cope with more | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Could_Not_Decide | ||||
| PX640902013300 | I could not decide where, when, and how to do it | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Courage_To_Face_Life | ||||
| PX640902013600 | I have the courage to face life | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Coward | ||||
| PX640902012600 | I am a coward and do not have the guts to do it | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Curious_About_Future | ||||
| PX640902012900 | I am curious about what will happen in the future | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Desire_To_Live | ||||
| PX640902010400 | I have a desire to live | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Drive_To_Survive | ||||
| PX640902014200 | I have an inner drive to survive | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Effect_On_Children | ||||
| PX640902012800 | The effect on my children could be harmful | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Enjoy_Family | ||||
| PX640902011600 | I love and enjoy my family too much and more | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Experience_Life | ||||
| PX640902011700 | I want to experience all that life has to more | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Family_Feel_Guilty | ||||
| PX640902014700 | I would not want my family to feel guilty more | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Family_Love | ||||
| PX640902010700 | My family might believe I did not love them | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Family_Needs | ||||
| PX640902010900 | My family depends upon me and needs me | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Family_Think_Selfish | ||||
| PX640902014800 | I would not want my family to think I was more | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Find_Reason_To_Live | ||||
| PX640902014400 | I believe I can find a purpose in life, a more | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Find_Solutions_To_Problems | ||||
| PX640902012200 | I believe I can find other solutions to my more | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Future_Plans | ||||
| PX640902011300 | I have future plans I am looking forward to more | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Happy_With_Life | ||||
| PX640902013700 | I am happy and content with my life | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Hurt_Family | ||||
| PX640902013000 | It would hurt my family too much and I would more | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Inept_Not_Work | ||||
| PX640902014600 | I am so inept that my method would not work | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Killing_Method_Fail | ||||
| PX640902011800 | I am afraid that my method of killing myself more | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Leave_Children_For_Others | ||||
| PX640902012100 | It would not be fair to leave the children more | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Life_Is_Beautiful | ||||
| PX640902012000 | Life is too beautiful and precious to end it | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Love_Of_Life | ||||
| PX640902012400 | I have a love of life | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Morally_Wrong | ||||
| PX640902013400 | I consider it morally wrong | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Not_Miserable_Enough | ||||
| PX640902010800 | I do not believe that things get miserable more | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Not_Solve_Anything | ||||
| PX640902013900 | I believe killing myself would not really more | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_No_Reason_Death | ||||
| PX640902014500 | I see no reason to hurry death along | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Other_Think_Weak | ||||
| PX640902014100 | Other people would think I am weak and selfish | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Religious_Beliefs_Forbid | ||||
| PX640902012700 | My religious beliefs forbid it | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Responsibility_To_Family | ||||
| PX640902010100 | I have a responsibility and commitment to my more | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Right_To_End_Life | ||||
| PX640902010500 | I believe only God has the right to end a life | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Scoring | ||||
| PX640902014900 | Ratings on the individual items are added more | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Stable | ||||
| PX640902012500 | I am too stable to kill myself | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Things_Left | ||||
| PX640902013500 | I still have many things left to do | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Things_Will_Improve | ||||
| PX640902014000 | I have hope that things will improve and the more | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Want_To_Die | ||||
| PX640902011000 | I do not want to die | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Will_Not_Last | ||||
| PX640902011400 | No matter how badly I feel, I know that it more | N/A | ||
| PX640902_Suicide_Working_Out | ||||
| PX640902013200 | I believe everything has a way of working more | N/A | ||
Measure Name
Deterrents to Suicide
Release Date
November 21, 2014
Definition
A questionnaire to assess protective factors that are deterrents to suicide behavior.
Purpose
The presence of protective factors and their interaction with risk factors can help indicate suicide risk.
Keywords
suicide, Suicide deterrents, Protective Factors, religiosity, Religion, Morality, Morals, Reasons for Living for Adolescents inventory, RFL-A
Measure Protocols
| Protocol ID | Protocol Name |
|---|---|
| 640901 | Deterrents to Suicide - Clinical - Child |
| 640902 | Deterrents to Suicide - Clinical - Adult |
| 640903 | Deterrents to Suicide - Epidemiology |
Publications
There are no publications listed for this protocol.