Citation

Valach L, Michel K, Young RA. J. Nerv. Ment. Dis. 2016; 204(11): 812-819.

Affiliation

*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.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/NMD.0000000000000528

PMID

27802251

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.

Language: en