Brief report: Why suicide? perceptions of suicidal inpatients and reflections of clinical researchers

Qualitatively oriented research (e.g., studies of suicide notes) has shed valuable light on the phenomenology of suicidal states. However, one draw back to this approach is that conclusions drawn from such data are inferential. In the current study, we took a more direct approach by having a sample of 52 suicidal inpatients provide written responses to the following query: Why suicide? A reliable coding system was developed that captured seven distinct response types to our prompt (i.e., suicide was seen as: the easy way out, a permanent solution, an escape from pain, the only option, self-oriented, related to hopelessness, and relationally-focused). In our discussion, we further reflect on these patient perceptions of suicide in terms of theory, research, and practice.