Psychological resilience in people experiencing schizophrenia and suicidal thoughts and behaviours

Abstract

People with schizophrenia develop ways of being resilient to negative events which should inform therapeutic interventions.

Factors that contribute to psychological resilience to suicidal thoughts and behaviours in people with schizophrenia diagnoses: qualitative study

“…5 Although exposure to negative stressors can be central in the pathway to suicidal thoughts and behaviours, there is evidence that people with a diagnosis of schizophrenia can be resilient to the impact of suicide triggers. [6][7][8][9] There are inconsistencies in the ways psychological resilience is conceptualised and defined. 10,11 Definitions of resilience have included conceptualisations as a trait, as an outcome and as a process.…”

“…[13][14][15][16] Several studies have examined psychological resilience to suicidal experiences in people with schizophrenia. 7,[17][18][19][20] A qualitative study reported a spectrum of psychological factors including passive acceptance, resistance (inner strength, getting on with things, withstanding pressure), and active responses (cognitive and emotional coping strategies) as potentially contributing to psychological resilience. 7 However, the study focused on factors that promoted resilience to negative life events and stressors (for example experiencing psychosis symptoms, hearing voices) as opposed to suicidal experiences, specifically.…”

Psychological resilience to suicidal thoughts and behaviours in people with schizophrenia diagnoses : A systematic literature review

“…This category included six quantitative, two mixed‐methods, and two qualitative studies . Six of these reported perceptions of relationships with significant others, including family and friends (Chung, Caine, Barron, & Badaracco, 2015; Gooding, Sheehy, & Tarrier, 2013; Jarbin & von Knorring, 2004; Ran et al ., 2005; Skodlar et al ., 2008; Termoshuizen et al ., 2012); three described findings which included relationships with mental health professionals (Chung et al ., 2015; Gooding et al ., 2013; Lin et al ., 2014); three examined perceived social support from the community (Fossion et al ., 2004; Gooding, Littlewood, Owen, Johnson, & Tarrier, 2017; Termoshuizen et al ., 2012); and one reported inverse associations between high quality of social functioning and suicide attempts (Yan et al ., 2013).…”

“…The participants reported that the emotional pain that they felt would be inflicted upon their significant others if they died by suicide prevented them from attempting suicide. In the second qualitative study in this category, perceived social support from the community and social reciprocity (i.e., the desire to help others) were reported to counter stress which bolstered individual resilience (Gooding et al ., 2017). This qualitative study was the only one that identified helping others as a resilience factor.…”

“…Four quantitative, one mixed‐methods, and two qualitative studies reported that holding religious and spiritual beliefs was a factor which promoted psychological resilience to suicidal experiences. These studies included having religious beliefs and affiliations (Fossion et al ., 2004; Gooding et al ., 2017), satisfaction with religious beliefs (Huguelet et al ., 2007; Jarbin & von Knorring, 2004; Mohr, Brandt, Borras, Gillieron, & Huguelet, 2006), religious coping (i.e., using religious beliefs to cope with stressors; Gooding et al ., 2017; Mohr et al ., 2006; Rosmarin, Bigda‐Peyton, Ongur, Pargament, & Bjogvinsson, 2013), and spirituality (i.e., seeking answers to life's meaning; Huguelet et al ., 2007; Miralles et al ., 2014; Mohr et al ., 2006).…”