What Protects Adolescents from Suicidal Attempt: A Qualitative Study

Background: Suicidal attempts are common among adolescents around the world. Many countries have taken measures to reduce the high incidence of suicidal attempts and prevent people from killing themselves. They also provide care to accelerate the process of recovery among those who have attempted suicide. Objectives: The aim of this study was to qualitatively evaluate the protective factors against suicidal attempts among adolescents who recently did so. Methods: In this qualitative study, 18 single adolescents, with a mean age of 17.44 ± 1.15, who were referred to 2 hospitals in Shiraz (southern Iran), were selected via convenient sampling procedure. Data were collected via semi-structured in-depth interviews and analyzed using conventional approaches to qualitative content analysis. Results: Three main categories and 10 sub-categories were extracted from the data. The main categories included: (a) individual factors (lack of mental conflict, religious beliefs, fear of death, thinking about family, hope for the future, spiritual counseling), (b) social factors (interaction with friends, social stigma of suicidal attempt, sense of family cohesion), and (c) professional advice and support (psychological counseling). Conclusions: The findings of this study can guide health professionals to take measures to prevent suicidal attempts, communicate with people who are at risk of attempted suicide, and prevent relapse of those who are in recovery period after an attempted suicide.