title: Trait gratitude and suicidal ideation and behavior: an exploratory study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite the progress of positive psychology, current knowledge regarding suicide protective factors is limited. Trait gratitude (a tendency to experience gratitude in daily life) may protect against suicidal ideation and behavior.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The study tested a model of causal effects among gratitude, religiosity, reasons for living, coping, and social support as predictors of suicidal ideation, suicide threats, and suicide attempts after controlling for depression and stressful life events.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sample of 165 college students were administered measures of gratitude, religiosity, reasons for living, social support, coping skills, stress, and depression. The study assessed lifetime and current suicidal ideation as well as lifetime suicide threat and attempt.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both gratitude and religiosity, along with social support, coping skills, and reasons for living, correlated negatively with prior suicidal ideation, but not with prior attempted suicide. After controlling for risk factor (depression and stress), the impact of gratitude and religiosity was no longer statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Further research could help understand the role of positive emotions and human strengths, such as gratitude, in preventing and alleviating suicidal ideation and behavior.
authors.affiliation: 1 Research Unit Clinical Psychology, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Belgium.|2 Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Karolina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Krysinska
authors.affiliation: 3 Psychology Program, Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, Galloway, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lester
authors.affiliation: 3 Psychology Program, Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, Galloway, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lyke
authors.affiliation: 1 Research Unit Clinical Psychology, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jozef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Corveleyn
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D010551:Personality; D065840:Protective Factors; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012067:Religion; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012944:Social Support; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: gratitude; nonfatal suicidal behavior; protective factors; suicidal ideation