title: Suicide as a Distorted Goal-Directed Process: Wanting to Die, Killing, and Being Killed.
abstract: It has been suggested that suicidal persons engage in distorted thinking. We propose that suicide can be understood as a distorted goal-directed action. The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify the specific distortions in the goal-directed processes of suicide as indicated in suicide narratives of 40 persons after a suicide attempt. The findings indicate action distortions such as the disconnect between the wish to die, the action of killing oneself, and the experience of being killed. Furthermore, we found a lack of long-term nonsuicidal pursuits, missing or incomplete action monitoring, and control and regulation processes. The implications for suicide prevention are discussed, and the procedure of self-confrontation interview is suggested as a helpful intervention.
authors: *Private practice, Lindenstrasse, Bremgarten; †University Psychiatric Services (UPD), Murtenstrasse, Bern, Switzerland; and ‡Educational and Counselling Psychology and Special Education, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors: Ladislav
authors: L
authors: Valach
authors: Konrad
authors: K
authors: Michel
authors: Richard A
authors: RA
authors: Young
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001293:Attitude to Death; D005260:Female; D006040:Goals; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology* / Q000639:trends; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology; D013850:Thinking; D055815:Young Adult