Peer-reviewed article
Self-rated functioning in family, social, and social-life domains in relation to reasons for living among young adults: a cross-sectional study.
Nieradko-Heluszko A, Rył A, Giezek M, Karakiewicz B ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study examined how young adults in Poland rate their family, social, and social functioning in relation to their reasons for living—beliefs that discourage suicide. The research surveyed 546 young adults aged 18-35 and found that life satisfaction, parenthood, and family functioning were positively associated with reasons for living. However, the study notes its limitations and cannot establish cause and effect.
Key points
- Reasons for living were positively correlated with life satisfaction, general self-efficacy, and self-rated functioning in family, social, and social-life domains
- Life satisfaction showed the strongest association with reasons for living, followed by parenthood and general self-efficacy
- Family functioning was positively associated with reasons for living, but social and social-life functioning were not independently associated
- The full model explained 25.6% of variance in reasons for living
- The study used convenience sampling, was predominantly female, and should not be interpreted as population estimates for Polish young adults
Limitations
The study uses non-probability convenience sampling with a predominance of women, limiting generalizability to the broader Polish young adult population. The cross-sectional design cannot establish causality; the authors note that longitudinal and intervention research are needed for causal interpretation.
Abstract
Introduction Suicide prevention research has increasingly emphasized protective factors in addition to risk factors. Reasons for living represent a protective construct in suicidology, reflecting beliefs and commitments that may discourage suicidal behavior. However, less is known about how self-rated functioning in family, social, and social-life domains is associated with reasons for living among young adults. Methods An anonymous cross-sectional online survey using non-probability convenience sampling was conducted between March and June 2025 among 546 young adults aged 18-35 years in Poland. Reasons for living were assessed using the Polish adaptation of the Reasons for Living Inventory. Life satisfaction and general self-efficacy were measured using the Satisfaction With Life Scale and General Self-Efficacy Scale. Participants rated family, social, and social-life functioning on five-point scales. Hierarchical multiple linear regression examined associations with reasons for living after accounting for selected sociodemographic and family-related factors, life satisfaction, and general self-efficacy. Results Reasons for living were positively correlated with life satisfaction, general self-efficacy, and self-rated functioning in all three domains. Selected sociodemographic and family-related variables explained 8.2% of the variance. Adding life satisfaction and general self-efficacy increased explained variance by 16.0%, and adding family, social, and social-life functioning contributed a further 1.4% (p = 0.022). The fully adjusted model explained 25.6% of the variance. Life satisfaction showed the strongest positive standardized association, followed by parenthood and general self-efficacy. Family functioning was also positively associated with reasons for living, whereas social and social-life functioning were not independently associated. In a sensitivity analysis excluding Responsibility to Family and Child-Related Concerns items, the association with family functioning was attenuated and no longer statistically significant, whereas parenthood remained positively associated with the non-family-content outcome. Conclusion In this convenience sample, reasons for living were cross-sectionally associated with psychological resources and family-related factors. The family-functioning association was sensitive to family-related RFL-48 content, whereas the parenthood association persisted after this content was excluded. Given the non-probability sampling strategy and predominance of women, the findings should not be interpreted as population estimates for Polish young adults. Causal interpretations require longitudinal research, and intervention-related implications require intervention studies.