Search

Introduction: A brief screener assessing experience of exposure to suicide for use in therapeutic settings is warranted. To examine the concurrent validity of such a screening tool, labeled as the Suicide Exposure Experience Screener (SEES), the associations of the two SEES items: (i) reported closeness with the person who died by suicide and (ii) perceived impact of suicide death with psychological distress are presented., Methods: Five separate datasets comprising surveys from Australia, Canada, and the United States (N combined  = 7782) were used to provide evidence of concurrent validity of closeness and impact of suicide exposure., Results: Overall, closeness and impact were significantly correlated with measures of global distress across five different datasets, showing small to medium effect sizes. Closeness and impact were also intercorrelated demonstrating a large effect size across all surveys. This report used cross-sectional data and comprised varied sample sizes across different datasets that influenced statistical significance of obtained effects and did not tease apart the roles of cumulative exposure of suicide and prolonged bereavement in experiencing global distress., Conclusion: The SEES has clinical utility in determining psychological distress in bereaved individuals and is recommended for use in therapeutic settings., (© 2022 The Authors. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Association of Suicidology.)

Introduction: Suicide stigma is a major barrier to prevention and intervention efforts. Using terror management theory as the guiding framework, the present study examined whether enhancing self-esteem would buffer against suicide stigma and lead to prosocial attitudes and behavior., Methods: Experimental methods were utilized in the present study. After being primed with death-related thoughts, participants were randomly assigned to one of two conditions: (1) positive feedback (experimental group) and (2) no feedback (control group). The dependent variables included (1) evaluations of a suicide decedent, (2) intentions to intervene against suicide, and (3) charitable donation behavior toward a suicide prevention organization., Results: The most consistent findings for the self-esteem boost hypothesis were for the interaction effects of death anxiety and self-esteem boost for the donation allocation task and intentions to intervene against suicide. For participants who were reminded of death, the self-esteem boost intervention mitigated the negative impact of death anxiety on donation behavior (i.e., an average difference of $16.37). Positive feedback for participants with reported low self-esteem also led to increased willingness to intervene against suicide., Conclusion: These findings provide some promising potential for the self-esteem enhancement intervention to attenuate defensive reactions to suicide., (© 2021 The American Association of Suicidology.)

Increases in suicide rates for U.S. women Service Members and Veterans have emerged as a public health issue of great concern. Women Veterans are more likely than their civilian counterparts to die by suicide, and rates of suicide for women Veterans are rising faster than rates for male Veterans. Given higher rates of suicide in combat-exposed males and increased rates of suicide associated with military deployment for women, the expansion of women into direct combat roles may further escalate their rates of suicide. The interpersonal theory of suicide provides a framework for the examination of women Veterans' risk factors and how implementation of policy provisions can more effectively ameliorate suicide risk. Recent suicide prevention policy initiatives that target women Veterans' unique needs are important steps; however, suicide prevention efforts should address specific risk factors contributing to thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, and the acquired capability for suicide in Veteran women.

Recent studies of people exposed to suicide point to a continuum of effects moderated by a perception of closeness to the deceased. We investigated the importance of perception of impact of the death on mental health outcomes of those exposed to suicide. Female sex, younger age, and multiple exposures to suicide were associated with greater risk for poorer outcomes. Suicide exposed with high impact was more likely to have depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, prolonged grief, and suicide ideation. Findings can help focus postvention resources for suicide-exposed individuals., (© 2017 The American Association of Suicidology.)

Popular culture insists on the significance of suicide notes, but research has yielded conflicting results about who leaves notes. Utilizing 6 years of suicides from a comprehensive statewide data surveillance system, differences were examined between cases with suicide notes and those without in terms of demographics, circumstances of the suicide, and precipitating circumstances. Of the 2,936 suicides, 18.25% included a note. Demographics and circumstances did not differ for cases with a note compared to cases with no note. Results have implications for working with people bereaved by suicide in helping understand that the notes are uncommon and not systematic. However, it is also possible that for some individuals, the content of a note is meaningful and can help or hinder their course of bereavement., (© 2014 The American Association of Suicidology.)

As part of Preventing Suicide: Kentucky's Plan, a gatekeeper training was implemented. The implementation of this brief educational intervention and changes in participants' suicide prevention attitudes were examined. Data were collected from 3,958 people in 213 sessions from May 2004 to August 2006. Participants reported high levels of satisfaction with the trainings. Immediately following the training, participants showed substantial increases in their perception of their suicide knowledge and their perceived efficacy to help someone who displays signs of suicide. QPR was widely disseminated across the state and shows promise to change immediate beliefs and feelings of efficacy.

Myth-busting, in which a so-called myth is presented and dispelled by facts, is used in suicide prevention gatekeeper trainings such as QPR. Evidence from other areas of public health shows this technique leads to memory for myths and not facts. An internet survey was used to determine if the "myths" and "facts" presented in QPR are endorsed as such by the suicidology community and to determine if demographics influenced statement identification. Overall, statements did reflect the opinions of the suicidology community and any type of training increased correct identification. Future research should focus on whether myth-busting is an appropriate strategy for suicidology.

Background: Each year there are over 31,000 suicides in the United States, constituting a significant problem in every respect. It is important for research efforts to focus on the communication elements involved in suicide prevention because the messages produced by individuals close to those who have suicidal thoughts have the potential to save a life., Aims: The current manuscript presents the theory of planned behavior (TPB) as a foundation to increase understanding of what message content would be most effective to convince an individual to intervene when someone is suicidal., Methods: Suicide and suicidal behaviors are briefly reviewed, as is the TPB. Then it is argued how and why TPB can help construct persuasive messages., Results: The authors suggest that TPB guide the content of persuasive messages. Messages created in combination of persuasive theories with TPB are likely to encourage an individual to intervene when someone is suicidal., Conclusions: A key element to suicide prevention is intervention by close others. Use of TPB provides an increased understanding of how to persuade close individuals to intervene when an individual is suicidal.

In this pilot study we report on proximate outcomes of a 1-hour community gatekeeper training in-service for 76 nonclinical employees in a university hospital workplace setting. Pre-post analyses resulted in positive changes in participants' knowledge about suicide and attitudes (self-efficacy) about intervening with suicidal individuals. A subset of participants engaged in role play practice of gatekeeper skills following training and rated the experience positively. Fifty-five observations were rated using an observational measure developed for this study and approximately half of these demonstrated satisfactory skills post training. Participants in this workplace gatekeeper training reported sharing new knowledge and skills with family, friends, and coworkers.

Although exposure to the suicide death of a military colleague has been shown quantitatively to increase suicide risk factors among veterans, there are very few studies where veterans have been asked about this experience. This article presents a qualitative analysis of 38 interviews with U.S. veterans with exposure to the suicide death of a military colleague in past war operations. Participants described the impact of exposure in relation to the military context and official response to the death, which had long-term ramifications. Our findings suggest suicide prevention and postvention responses for veterans should be informed by the lived experience of veterans, including those for whom this experience occurred significantly in the past, as the impacts of different military policies and practices in response to suicide deaths over time are relevant to the impact of exposure to death of a military colleague in the short and long term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to test the reliability and validity of the Willingness to Intervene against Suicide Enhanced (WISE) questionnaire. The WISE is a revised version of the Willingness to Intervene against Suicide (WIS) questionnaire, which was based on the theory of planned behavior, and it has consistently predicted the intention to intervene with a suicidal individual. Evaluation of the WIS showed that it was internally consistent with adequate goodness-of-fit indices for three of the four scales. The subjective norms scale did not meet the goodness-of-fit indices standard cutoff criteria. Due to this, the WIS questionnaire has been revised into the WISE. However, the dimensionality of these factors needed to be tested. College students (n = 824) completed an online survey to test the WISE. The data were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis, reliability analysis, and multiple regression. The WISE was internally consistent, and the scales met acceptable criteria for goodness-of-fit indices. The WISE explained a range of variance in participants' intention to intervene from 12 to 40%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This cross-sectional study examines data from the 2003-2020 National Violent Death Reporting System to identify distinct suicide profiles among US suicide decedents and determine associations to signs of suicidal intent and risks. Key Points: Question: Are there distinct suicide profiles linked to varying signs of suicidal intent and risks? Findings: This cross-sectional study including 306 800 US suicide decedents from 2003-2020 identified 5 suicide profiles or classes: comorbid mental health and substance use disorders; mental disorders alone; crisis, alcohol-related, and intimate partner problems; physical health problems; and polysubstance use. Class 4 (physical health problems) was the largest, exhibiting minimal explicit suicidal intent, rarely detected psychiatric diagnoses, and minimal psychotropic medication use. Meaning: Suicide prevention strategies may be more effective when tailored to different suicide profiles because integrated care enhances the detection and treatment of comorbid mental health conditions, substance and alcohol use disorders, and physical health problems. Importance: Suicide rates in the US increased by 35.6% from 2001 to 2021. Given that most individuals die on their first attempt, earlier detection and intervention are crucial. Understanding modifiable risk factors is key to effective prevention strategies. Objective: To identify distinct suicide profiles or classes, associated signs of suicidal intent, and patterns of modifiable risks for targeted prevention efforts. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional study used data from the 2003-2020 National Violent Death Reporting System Restricted Access Database for 306 800 suicide decedents. Statistical analysis was performed from July 2022 to June 2023. Exposures: Suicide decedent profiles were determined using latent class analyses of available data on suicide circumstances, toxicology, and methods. Main Outcomes and Measures: Disclosure of recent intent, suicide note presence, and known psychotropic usage. Results: Among 306 800 suicide decedents (mean [SD] age, 46.3 [18.4] years; 239 627 males [78.1%] and 67 108 females [21.9%]), 5 profiles or classes were identified. The largest class, class 4 (97 175 [31.7%]), predominantly faced physical health challenges, followed by polysubstance problems in class 5 (58 803 [19.2%]), and crisis, alcohol-related, and intimate partner problems in class 3 (55 367 [18.0%]), mental health problems (class 2, 53 928 [17.6%]), and comorbid mental health and substance use disorders (class 1, 41 527 [13.5%]). Class 4 had the lowest rates of disclosing suicidal intent (13 952 [14.4%]) and leaving a suicide note (24 351 [25.1%]). Adjusting for covariates, compared with class 1, class 4 had the highest odds of not disclosing suicide intent (odds ratio [OR], 2.58; 95% CI, 2.51-2.66) and not leaving a suicide note (OR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.41-1.49). Class 4 also had the lowest rates of all known psychiatric illnesses and psychotropic medications among all suicide profiles. Class 4 had more older adults (23 794 were aged 55-70 years [24.5%]; 20 100 aged ≥71 years [20.7%]), veterans (22 220 [22.9%]), widows (8633 [8.9%]), individuals with less than high school education (15 690 [16.1%]), and rural residents (23 966 [24.7%]). Conclusions and Relevance: This study identified 5 distinct suicide profiles, highlighting a need for tailored prevention strategies. Improving the detection and treatment of coexisting mental health conditions, substance and alcohol use disorders, and physical illnesses is paramount. The implementation of means restriction strategies plays a vital role in reducing suicide risks across most of the profiles, reinforcing the need for a multifaceted approach to suicide prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The revised Willingness to Intervene against Suicide questionnaire and the Expanded Revised Facts on Suicide Quiz were employed to examine the relationship between college students' knowledge about suicide and intention to intervene. Participants: College students (n = 515) participated, a majority being women and Caucasian. Methods: Participants completed an online survey. Data were analyzed in SPSS. Results: College students have poor knowledge of suicide facts; however, this low level of accurate knowledge was not associated with intention to intervene with a suicidal person. Attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, sex, and no previous suicide attempt were all significant predictors of intention to intervene. Conclusions: These results challenge the notion that one must be well-informed in order to intend to take action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Australian Social Work is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Alarming numbers of military veterans end their lives each day which has a profound effect on the military population. This study examines a sample ( N = 434) of suicide-exposed (i.e., personally knowing someone who has died by suicide) veterans to determine whether the proportion of individuals who report high impact from suicide exposure and those who have clinically-significant posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms is related to marital status. Using Hill's ( Social Casework 49: 139-150, 1958) ABC-X model for conceptualizing the relationships between variables, mean scores for posttraumatic stress disorder were significantly different between groups, and the odds of a married veteran reporting high-impact suicide exposure were 2.19 times lower than the odds of a single veteran reporting high-impact. Likewise, the odds of a veteran with high-impact suicide exposure having clinically-significant posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms were 10.04 times higher than veterans with low-impact suicide exposure. Findings indicate that veterans who are married are less likely to be highly-affected by another individual's suicide. Thus, marriage is a protective factor for suicide-exposed veterans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Universitaria is the property of Universidad de Guanajuato/Acta Universitaria and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In light of prevailing confusion over the meaning of the term "suicide survivor," we propose a more exact terminology for designating different levels of impact on those left behind by suicide, ranging on a continuum from those exposed to suicide through those who are affected by it and finally to those who are bereaved by suicide in the short- or long-term, as a function of their loss of a close emotional attachment through this tragic form of loss. We briefly note the possible utility of this terminological specificity in promoting more clearly targeted research and intervention efforts, and call for closer investigation of various categories of "survivorship" in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three studies resulted in the Willingness to Intervene Against Suicide Questionnaire. College students (ns = 172, 253, and 367) completed an online questionnaire based on theory of planned behavior constructs regarding suicide intervention. Exploratory factor analysis produced 10 factors: intervening will affect the suicidal person and the participant; important others recommend seeking help, suggesting the suicidal person see a counselor, and talking to the suicidal person; interpersonal and intervention self-efficacy; and intention to seek outside help, encourage to seek outside help, and recognize a need for action. The Willingness to Intervene Against Suicide Questionnaire assesses college students’ willingness to intervene when someone is suicidal. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Gender and sexual minorities (GSM) are at a higher risk for victimization, discrimination, and emotional distress. GSM also face unique stressors that contribute to negative mental health outcomes, such as family and interpersonal rejection, ostracism and isolation, and internalized gender and sexual stigma. Suicide attempt survivors often experience similar stigma and isolation after an attempt. However, little is known about the specific experiences of GSM individuals who attempt suicide. Transcripts of interviews with 25 GSM attempt survivors conducted as part of the Live Through This project were analyzed using an interpretive phenomenological approach. Five themes that capture the lived experience of suicidality of the participants were identified in the interviews: (a) intersecting identities, (b) identity concealment, (c) internalized stigma and self-hate, (d) the social environment, and (e) the importance of peer support. Findings highlight the compounding stigma that occurs when individuals identify as both a GSM and a suicide attempt survivor. Implications for clinical work include the need for additional peer support for individuals who maintain the dual identity of GSM and suicide attempt survivor. Moreover, there is a need for mental health, crisis, and support resources and services tailored for GSM individuals that emphasize the importance of peer support in healing and recovery after a suicide attempt and in preventing future suicidal behavior. This important information can help us develop strategies to prevent suicide among the GSM population and to provide support for GSM suicide attempt survivors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]