Reasons for Living and Visual Construct Choices as Related to Suicide Risk of Inpatient Adolescents
Graduation Date
Spring 2005
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Document Form
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy
Degree Granting Institution
Notre Dame de Namur University
Program Name
Art Therapy
Dean
Lizbeth Martin, PhD
First Reader
Richard Carolan, EdD, ATR-BC
Second Reader
Doris Arrington, EdD, ATR-BC
Abstract
This study used the Reasons for Living Inventory for Adolescents (RFL-A) and the Arrington Visual Preference Test (AVPT) to explore reasons for living and visual preferences of adolescent inpatients at risk for suicide. The potential of the RFL-A and AVPT as screening instruments for suicide risk were examined. The participants^, level of reasons for living was measured by the RFL-A, and compared to visual construct choices as determined by the AVPT. Participants consisted of 8 males and 12 females in a hospital adolescent crisis unit. Results showed that Feminine and Transformation constructs were equally most preferred and Transformation constructs were least preferred among all participants. However, among the high-risk group (n = 8) results were statistically significant at the .05 level where Feminine constructs were the 1st ranked most preferred being selected 75% of the time. Most preferred and least preferred symbols are discussed in relation to their importance in psychological life and reasons for living.