Rational suicide: An empirical investigation of counselor attitudes

This study investigated attitudes of mental health counselors toward ration al suicide. Over 80% of respondents were moderately supportive of the idea that people can make well-reasoned decisions that death is their best optio n, and further, they identified a consistent set of criteria to evaluate su ch decisions. Additionally, analyses revealed that as the scenario moved fr om client, to friend, to self, rational suicide seemed to gain in acceptabi lity for these professionals. Implications for training and practice in lig ht of the apparent responsibilities with suicidal clients defined in the 19 95 American Counseling Association's Code of Ethics and Standards of Practi ce are discussed.