LILLY/TDC/NIMH 3 B 1999-2003

Data Entry Initials: ___________ Client’s ID # & Initials: _________________________

Date: ______________________ Date: _________________________
Second Entry: _______________ Assessment: _________ Session: ________
Date: ______________________
*04201a*
04201a RFLS
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
BEHAVIORAL RESEARCH & THERAPY CLINICS
Linehan et. al., 1983

INSTRUCTIONS: Many people have thought of suicide at least once. Others have never considered it.
Whether you have considered it or not, we are interested in the reasons you would have for not
committing suicide if the thought were to occur to you or if someone were to suggest it to you.
On the following pages are reasons people sometimes give for not committing suicide. We
would like to know how important each of these possible reasons would be to you at this time in your life
as a reason to not kill yourself. Please rate this in the space at the left on each question.
Each reason can be rated from 1 (Not At All Important) to 6 (Extremely Important). If a reason
does not apply to you or if you do not believe the statement is true, then it is not likely important and you
should put a 1. Please use the whole range of choices so as not to rate only at the middle (2, 3, 4, 5) or
only at the extremes (1, 6).
In each space put a number to indicate the importance to you of each reason for not killing
yourself.

1. Not At All Important (as a reason for not killing myself, or, does not apply to me, I don't
believe this at all).
2. Quite Unimportant
3. Somewhat Unimportant
4. Somewhat Important
5. Quite Important
6. Extremely Important (as a reason for not killing myself, I believe this very much and it is
very important).

Even if you never have or firmly believe you never would seriously consider killing yourself, it is
still important that you rate each reason. In this case, rate on the basis of why killing yourself is not or
would never be an alternative for you.
____________________________________________________________________________________

In each space put a number to indicate the importance to you of each for not killing yourself.

1. Not At All Important 4. Somewhat Important

2. Quite Unimportant 5. Quite Important
3. Somewhat Unimportant 6. Extremely Important
____________________________________________________________________________________

_____ 1. I have a responsibility and commitment to my family.

_____ 2. I believe I can learn to adjust or cope with my problems.

_____ 3. I believe I have control over my life and destiny.

_____ 4. I have a desire to live.

Reasons for Living Scale Copyright 1996 M. M. Linehan page Page 1 of 5 Yellow 06/21/01
 NIMH 3 B 1999-2003

1. Not At All Important 4. Somewhat Important

2. Quite Unimportant 5. Quite Important
3. Somewhat Unimportant 6. Extremely Important
____________________________________________________________________________________

_____ 5. I believe only God has the right to end a life.

_____ 6. I am afraid of death.

_____ 7. My family might believe I did not love them.

_____ 8. I do not believe that things get miserable or hopeless enough that I would rather be dead.

_____ 9. My family depends upon me and needs me.

_____ 10. I do not want to die.

_____ 11. I want to watch my children as they grow.

_____ 12. Life is all we have and is better than nothing.

_____ 13. I have future plans I am looking forward to carrying out.

_____ 14. No matter how badly I feel, I know that it will not last.

_____ 15. I am afraid of the unknown.

_____ 16. I love and enjoy my family too much and could not leave them.

_____ 17. I want to experience all that life has to offer and there are many experiences I haven't had
yet which I want to have.

_____ 18. I am afraid that my method of killing myself would fail.

_____ 19. I care enough about myself to live.

_____ 20. Life is too beautiful and precious to end it.

_____ 21. It would not be fair to leave the children for others to take care of.

_____ 22. I believe I can find other solutions to my problems.

_____ 23. I am afraid of going to hell.

_____ 24. I have a love of life.

_____ 25. I am too stable to kill myself.

_____ 26. I am a coward and do not have the guts to do it.

Reasons for Living Scale Copyright 1996 M. M. Linehan page 2 of 5 Yellow 06/21/01
 NIMH 3 B 1999-2003

1. Not At All Important 4. Somewhat Important

2. Quite Unimportant 5. Quite Important
3. Somewhat Unimportant 6. Extremely Important
____________________________________________________________________________________

_____ 27. My religious beliefs forbid it.

_____ 28. The effect on my children could be harmful.

_____ 29. I am curious about what will happen in the future.

_____ 30. It would hurt my family too much and I would not want them to suffer.

_____ 31. I am concerned about what others would think of me.

_____ 32. I believe everything has a way of working out for the best.

_____ 33. I could not decide where, when, and how to do it.

_____ 34. I consider it morally wrong.

_____ 35. I still have many things left to do.

_____ 36. I have the courage to face life.

_____ 37. I am happy and content with my life.

_____ 38. I am afraid of the actual "act" of killing myself (the pain, blood, violence).

_____ 39. I believe killing myself would not really accomplish or solve anything.

_____ 40. I have hope that things will improve and the future will be happier.

_____ 41. Other people would think I am weak and selfish.

_____ 42. I have an inner drive to survive.

_____ 43. I would not want people to think I did not have control over my life.

_____ 44. I believe I can find a purpose in life, a reason to live.

_____ 45. I see no reason to hurry death along.

_____ 46. I am so inept that my method would not work.

_____ 47. I would not want my family to feel guilty afterwards.

_____ 48. I would not want my family to think I was selfish or a coward.

Reasons for Living Scale Copyright 1996 M. M. Linehan page 3 of 5 Yellow 06/21/01
 NIMH 3 B 1999-2003

1. Not At All Important 4. Somewhat Important

2. Quite Unimportant 5. Quite Important
3. Somewhat Unimportant 6. Extremely Important
____________________________________________________________________________________

Additional Items for the RFL

_____ 49. I would not be able to see the effect of my death on others.

_____ 50. Close friends depend upon me and need me.

_____ 51. I can find meaning in suffering.

_____ 52. There are friends I enjoy and love too much to leave.

_____ 53. I have too much pride in myself.

_____ 54. Rational people do not kill themselves.

_____ 55. If I were depressed enough to want to die, I would be too depressed to kill myself.

_____ 56. I make a contribution to society.

_____ 57. Society disapproves of killing myself.

_____ 58. I have people who love me and who would listen to and understand me.

_____ 59. I see no reason to die and let someone else enjoy the things I worked for.

_____ 60. It is a sign of weakness and I don't want to be a quitter or a failure.

_____ 61. I am afraid that my death would not matter to anyone.

_____ 62. The finality of the act would stop me.

_____ 63. It would be too much of an embarrassment to my family.

_____ 64. It would hurt my close friends too much.

_____ 65. There are obligations I feel I should keep.

_____ 66. I would think of others worse off than myself.

_____ 67. I have a job in which I am involved and where I am needed.

_____ 68. I have a responsibility and commitment to my friends.

_____ 69. I would know I probably was not serious and it was just a passing thought.

Reasons for Living Scale Copyright 1996 M. M. Linehan page 4 of 5 Yellow 06/21/01
 NIMH 3 B 1999-2003

1. Not At All Important 4. Somewhat Important

2. Quite Unimportant 5. Quite Important
3. Somewhat Unimportant 6. Extremely Important
____________________________________________________________________________________

_____ 70. Experiencing unhappiness is an important part of life.

_____ 71. I would stop feeling sorry for myself.

_____ 72. The thought of suicide is totally incomprehensible to me.

Reasons for Living Scale Copyright 1996 M. M. Linehan page 5 of 5 Yellow 06/21/01