1. Does it get easier over time? Psychologists' experiences of working with suicidal patients.
- Author
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Dundas I, Hjeltnes A, Schanche E, and Stige SH
- Subjects
- Adaptation, Psychological, Adult, Empathy, Female, Humans, Male, Surveys and Questionnaires, Suicidal Ideation, Suicide
- Abstract
Does working with suicidal patients become easier with time? A representative national survey of 375 psychologists (72% women, Mean age 44 years) showed that years of experience ( r = -.13, p = .01) and frequency of contact with suicidal patients ( r = -.15, p = .004) correlated only weakly with perceived difficulty. Thematic analysis of respondents' descriptions of difficult suicide-related situations on an open survey-question yielded four themes: Unreachable patients, choosing between therapy and security, therapist's boundaries and empathy with death-wishes. We conclude that improved confidence in coping with suicidality may require specific training rather than simply years of work.
- Published
- 2022
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