Testing the Predictions of the Existential Constructivist Theory of Suicide in a College Student Sample

There is a lack of empirically supported theories explaining suicidal ideation and few theories describe how suicidal ideation can be prevented in the context of normative human development. Rogers (2001) proposed an existential constructivist theory of suicide (ECTS) wherein existential distress and the inability to reconstruct meaning from adverse life events contribute to suicidal ideation. The ECTS includes a distinct focus on meaning reconstruction from adverse life events, which is congruent with existing research on college students and developmental frameworks used by counseling psychologists. Thus, in the present study, we tested the predictions of the ECTS in a college student sample. We collected data online from 195 college students (i.e., ages 18-25) attending a large, Midwestern university and analyzed the data using structural equation modeling. Findings provided partial support for the original ECTS. Post hoc analyses of an alternate ECTS model indicated that existential distress mediated the negative association between meaning reconstruction and suicidal ideation. Public Significance Statement The present study offers preliminary support for a previously untested theory of suicide called the existential constructivist theory of suicide (ECTS). The most unique feature of the ECTS is a focus on the extent to which people can integrate challenging life events into their life narrative (i.e., finding and reconstructing meaning). Findings from this study suggest that therapeutic interventions and public health programs that target meaning reconstruction may reduce suicidal ideation in college students.