Spiritual needs of people with suicidal ideation: a qualitative study

Purpose Spirituality is one of the protective factors against suicide. However, the spiritual needs (SNs) of people with suicidal ideation (SI) have not yet been properly identified. This study aimed to identify the SNs in people with SI. Methods This qualitative study was conducted using conventional content analysis with the presence of 29 participants who were selected by purposive sampling method with maximum variation among people with SI, their families, and mental healthcare providers. Data were collected using 32 in-depth semi-structured interviews that lasted an average of 60 min from December 2019 to March 2021 in mental health service centers for hospitalized and outpatients in Karaj and Tehran in Iran, a religious country. Interviews were analyzed using the content analysis method. Results The SNs of people with SI from a total of 643 extracted codes were revealed in the form of 11 subcategories and four categories, including "the need to purpose and meaning in life," "the need to develop self-awareness," "the need to love and belonging," and "the need to support and coaching." Conclusion This study showed that people with SI have various SNs that identifying and meeting these needs, along with increasing the quality of comprehensive care, may reduce suicide attempts.