<p> Suicide is a significant public health problem. It is among the top three chief causes of death for young people, ages 10-24 years (CDC, 2016). The majority of studies on suicide focus on what causes suicidal thoughts, suicidal attempts, and completed suicides (e.g., Dougherty, 2010; Shneidman, 1993; Van Orden et al., 2010). While these studies are crucial, it is also vital to understand why and how people survive and thrive. Focusing on adolescent suicide prevention through the lens of resiliency, the research questions are as follows: Why and how did suicidal adolescents decide against suicide? </p><p> Thirty-two participants (16 males and 16 females) from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds, ages 21 to 50 years, completed an anonymous online self-report questionnaire. The data were analyzed, using Braun and Clarke's (2006) thematic analysis. The results of the analysis identified four areas in which suicidal adolescents find resiliency from suicidal thinking: social support and professional help, positive life event or circumstance, responsibility and or purpose, and religious and/or spiritual experience. Drawing from the linkages of the themes, the adolescent suicidal ideation theory was developed and explained. </p><p> The theoretical explanation, the first of its kind in regard to understanding why and how suicidal youths decide against suicide, is an important contribution in the fields of psychology and adolescent suicide prevention. It also serves to inform mental health professionals, educators, parents, adolescents, and children. Implications in the research highlight the buffering effects of personal connection (i.e., social and professional help), positive emotions, responsibility and purpose, and a religious and/or spiritual foundation in fostering suicidal ideation resilience. Suggested recommendations for policymakers include developing comprehensive training classes to promote healthy families and effective parenting; promoting age appropriate coping and problem-solving skills and resilience strategies to children and adolescents, starting a kindergarten through the twelfth grade (K-12), and six other recommendations are outlined in the discussion section of the paper. Further research could be conducted to strengthen the evidence-base of humanistic, existential, transpersonal, integrative, and trauma-informed therapies to help depressed and suicidal young people recover and acquire positive mental emotional health and wellness.</p><p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:PROQUEST/oai:pqdtoai.proquest.com:10681251 |
| Date | 25 October 2018 |
| Creators | Roberts, Monica L. |
| Publisher | Saybrook University |
| Source Sets | ProQuest.com |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | thesis |
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