REASONS FOR LIVING AND THEIR PROTECTIVE VALUE - A TURKISH SAMPLE

Turkey has a comparably low rate of suicide internationally; however, a slow but constant increase is occurring. Deaths due to suicide peak in males among 15-24 and 25-34 year olds. The purpose of the present s tudy was to investigate the various variables (e.g., depression, lonel iness) associated with suicide; specifically, the reasons for living. The results indicate, as predicted, that people with more optimism tow ards life are less prone to depression and loneliness. In this Turkish sample, females were significantly more optimistic, a finding diverge nt from the international literature to date. Cultural factors and rel ated contradictory findings in the West are discussed (e.g., moral/rel igious values).