Description

The Reasons for Life (RFL) Scale is a culturally grounded measure of protective factors against suicide, developed within the Yup’ik Alaska Native Qungasvik (Tools for Life) prevention program as a cultural adaptation and extension of the Brief Reasons for Living – Adolescent (BRFL-A) scale. The RFL scale emphasizes cultural strengths and protective processes, rather than focusing on suicide risk. It captures beliefs in resilience, cultural and spiritual teachings, and recognition from others as protective against suicide.

The final scale includes three subscales:

  • Efficacy Over Life Problems – belief in one’s ability to manage and overcome challenges.
  • Cultural and Spiritual Beliefs – grounding in teachings from Elders, spiritual traditions, and cultural continuity.
  • Others’ Assessment of Me – sense that others view the individual as valuable and contributing positively.

AI/AN Communities where the measure has been used

Alaska Native youth in southwestern Alaska

Demographics of AI/AN participants where the scale has been used

302 Alaska Native youth, ages 12–18 years, from 2 rural southwestern Alaska communities with mixed subsistence/wage economies

Notes on adaptations or modifications

  • Adapted from the Brief Reasons for Living – Adolescent (BRFL-A) with culturally specific wording and content reflecting Yup’ik values, spirituality, and teachings.
  • Authors also developed a shorter 6-item version of the scale with 2 items for each subscale

Modality and administration

Self-report questionnaire; computer-administered using a continuous analog sliding response scale with equidistant anchors: “Not at all,” “Somewhat,” “A lot.”

Scoring

  • Continuous analog scale converted into 20 equal intervals, which were then converted into a 5-point scale so that the resulting scores were approximately normally distributed with the following coding scheme: 1-6=1; 7-10=2; 11-14=3; 15-18=4; 19-20=5.
  • Authors recommend local inspection of resulting distributions of data for potential adjustments to this conversion

Psychometric evidence

  • Confirmatory factor analyses supported structure of three distinct first-order factors under one higher second-order factor.
  • Internal consistency reliability: α = .79 for total scale, α = .56-.66 for each subscale

Citation(s)

  • Allen, J., Rasmus, S. M., Fok, C. C. T., Charles, B., Trimble, J., Lee, K., & the Qungasvik Team. (2021). Strengths-based assessment for suicide prevention: Reasons for life as a protective factor from Yup’ik Alaska Native youth suicide. Assessment, 28(3), 709–723. https://doi.org/10.1177/1073191119875789 [Original citation]
  • Osman, A., Kopper, B. A., Barrios, F. X., Osman, J. R., Besett, T., & Linehan, M. M. (1996). The Brief Reasons for Living Inventory for adolescents (BRFL-A). Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 24, 433-443. doi:10.1007/Bf01441566 [BRFL-A citation]

Note: The included citations are not exhaustive, but represent the examples we had access to. If you are an original author or have other work that could be included here, please contact us.

Disclaimer: The included citations are not exhaustive, but represent the examples we had access to. If you are an original author or have other work that could be included here, please contact us.