Suicidal Persons Research Articles

Reasons for attempting suicide: An exploratory study in Ghana.

This study examined the reasons for suicide attempts among patients in Ghana. Semi-structured interviews were conducted among 30 informants who had been hospitalized for attempted suicide. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used to analyse the transcribed narratives, and five main themes emerged: 1) lack of support; 2) abandonment; 3) shame; 4) existential struggles; and 5) supernatural reasons. There were gender differences with abandonment reported by only women and shame associated with economic difficulties reported only by men. Findings are discussed within the context of a socio-cultural theory of suicide behaviour, and implications for the prevention of suicide and care of suicidal persons are suggested.

The effectiveness of QPR suicide prevention training

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) gatekeeper suicide prevention training on individuals’ ability to recognise the warning signs of suicide, intention to question someone they think is suicidal, persuade the suicidal person to stay alive, and know how and where to get help for the person. We also examined whether QPR training increased an individual’s intention to intervene with a suicidal individual. Design: A pretest–posttest online survey, based on the theory of planned behaviour, was employed before and after the face-to-face QPR training. Setting: The study was conducted on a small regional college campus in the Midwest USA. Method: Faculty, staff, and students at a regional campus completed two online questionnaires (pretest, n = 108, and posttest, n = 79) answering questions about attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control regarding suicide intervention, as well as their intention to intervene with someone who was suicidal. They also completed a 1-hour QPR gatekeeper training event. Results: QPR training significantly improved attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control regarding suicide intervention, and intention to intervene. It was also effective at increasing intention to question, persuade and refer (the three core goals of QPR). Conclusions: QPR training has been shown to be effective in the short-term at increasing intention to intervene within a US college community.

Responses of persons at risk of suicide: A critical interpretive synthesis.

AimSeveral nursing studies focus on suicidal persons; yet, a synthesis of such research is unavailable. The aim of this review was to give an inclusive understanding of responses of persons at risk for suicide that guides clinical nursing practice and research.DesignA reflexive and iterative study design was used in this study.MethodA qualitative content analysis and a systematic review of literature guided the six‐phase Critical Interpretive Synthesis . A sample consisting of 24 nursing studies published during 1994–2017 were included in this study.ResultsKey concepts found were “Disengaged while fraught with affliction”; “Readiness to engage in life”; and “Engaging through caring and confirming humanity.” Contextually, there are gaps in global nursing knowledge. Conceptually, three key concepts can guide the nursing practice and give an impetus for the research. Methodologically, the Critical Interpretive Synthesis served as a helpful way to summarize and synthesize a small sample size into an aggregate body of knowledge. An evidenced‐based understanding of responses of persons at risk for suicide can guide nurses to ensure safety, promote hopeful recovery, and foster resilience.

Unique experiences in religious groups, in the US and China—a qualitative study

ABSTRACTThis qualitative inquiry examined the unique experiences of members in religious groups in the US and China to inductively derive a theory of what protects against suicide. Twenty-one non-religious group members (NRGMs), 21 religious group members (RGMs), and four from both types of groups completed interviews which were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Results suggest that while both NRGMs and RGMs convene around a shared common goal, the RGMs goal was to live a life of faith together. Both NRGMs and RGMs experienced community, but RGMs’ valued vulnerable sharing and prayer as vital to growing their faith. Results are most consistent with the theory that religion protects against suicide because it shapes beliefs which enable a suicidal person to resist suicidal thinking. RGMs from China reported limited resources including few mature, experienced people who can provide spiritual guidance.

Nursing students' attitudes to suicide and suicidal persons: A cross‐national and cultural comparison between Turkey and the United Kingdom

Introduction Suicide is a major public health issue internationally, and the impact of positive or negative attitudes amongst the mental health professional workforce warrants scrutiny. The study aimed to examine English and Turkish nursing students' attitudes towards people with suicidal behaviour. Method This cross-cultural study reports on attitudes of 240 nursing students towards suicide in Turkey and 82 nursing students in the UK. A reliable and valid 24 item "Attitudes towards Suicide Scale" and "Social Reactions to Suicidal Persons Scale" were used to measure attitudes. Results The UK nursing students were found to display more accepting attitudes to suicide, and scored higher on acceptability of suicide, seeing suicide as a solution and open reporting and discussion of suicide subscales than their Turkish counterparts. Turkish nursing students scored higher on punishment after death and hiding suicidal behaviour subscales than the UK students. Turkish nursing students scored significantly higher on deterring subscale of reactions to a suicidal peer scale than the UK nursing students. Implications for practice It is vital for nurse students to develop positive acceptance of suicide through education, reflection and clinical supervision to be more therapeutic towards suicidal patients.

Clergy Use of Suicide Prevention Competencies

This study examined clergy's use of 15 suicide prevention competencies. Four hundred ninety-eight U.S. Catholic, Jewish, and Protestant clergy responded to an online survey regarding their use of these competencies. Analysis of variance, backward stepwise regression, and principal components analysis were used to determine clergy group differences, predictors of use of competencies, and a parsimonious summary of competencies. Some respondents reported infrequent opportunities to develop these competencies. Respondents reported using general pastoral competencies more than suicide-specific competencies. Protestant clergy reported that their congregants watch over each other significantly more than Jewish clergy. Catholic and Jewish clergy reported significantly more competence in conducting suicide funerals than Protestant clergy. Contacts by suicidal people and number of hours of suicide-specific training predicted the use of more competencies. Competency components included postvention following a suicide, nonjudgmental attitudes, talking with a suicidal person, and pastoral care. Findings suggest that clergy may benefit from consultation and suicide-specific training.

Caring for the suicidal person: A Delphi study of what characterizes a recovery-oriented caring approach.

More research is needed for supporting mental health nurses in their caring for suicidal individuals. This study aimed to describe what characterizes a recovery-oriented caring approach, and how this can be expressed through caring acts involving suicidal patients and their relatives. Delphi methodology was used, and research participants were recruited as experts by experience to explore a recovery-oriented caring approach in a dialogical process between the experts and the researchers. The results highlight that it is important to acknowledge the view of the uniqueness of each person and reflected understanding of each individual person and experience. The results also reveal that a recovery-oriented caring approach is characterized by a 'communicative togetherness'. This communicative togetherness is associated with enabling a nurturing and caring space for suicidal patients to really express themselves and to reach for their own resources. The recovery-oriented caring approach has thereby potential to facilitate a mutual understanding of the complexities of the patient's situation, and supports patients in influencing their care and regaining authority over their own lives. Accordingly, mental health nurses need to listen sensitively to what suicidal patients really say by acknowledging their lifeworlds and being open to individual variations of their recovery processes. This includes recognizing available and supportive relatives as capable of contributing to the patient's life project to continue living.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SUICIDE IDEATION, DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS AND PERSONALITY TRAITS IN ELDERLY: PILOT STUDY RESULTS

Healthy aging and the research on the related factors is one of the World Health Organization's priorities for the 2020-2030 years. Depression and suicidal ideation can adversely affect an individual's aging experience. Personality traits are important factors that allow to predict the individual's behavior in different situations, as well as the accurance of emotional difficulties. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between symptoms of depression, suicidal ideation and personality traits in elderly, and to determine whether the relationship between personality traits and suicidal ideation remains statistically significant after controlling the severity of depression symptoms. Thirty nine respondents aged 65 and over were included in the pilot study (M = 71.23; SD = 4.95). The Latvian Clinical Personality Inventory (LCPI) was used for data collection. The results indicate a statistically significant relationship between several personality traits, depression symptoms and suicidal ideation for elderly. Controlling the severity of depression symptoms, statistically significant correlations were found between suicidal ideation and personality traits such as distrust, social withdrawal, self-harm, dissociation proneness on facet level and introversion on domain level. The results of the pilot study largely coincide with the results of previous studies and indicate that certain personality traits, irrespective of the degree of severity of depression symptoms, can explain an additional variation in suicidal thoughts and, hence, the risk of suicide for elderly. It would be important to conduct a study with similar variables in a larger sample.

Associations of training to assist a suicidal person with subsequent quality of support: results from a national survey of the Australian public

BackgroundWhen a person is in severe distress, people in their social network can potentially take action to reduce the person’s suicide risk. The present study used data from a community survey to examine whether people who had received training in how to assist a person at risk of suicide had higher quality intentions and actions to provide support.MethodsA national telephone survey was carried out with 3002 Australian adults on attitudes and intentions toward helping someone in severe distress or at risk of suicide as well as actions taken. Participants were asked about their intentions to assist a hypothetical person in a vignette and about any actions they took to assist a family member or friend in distress over the previous 12 months. Participants were also asked whether they had received professional training, Mental Health First Aid training or other training in how to assist a person at risk of suicide.ResultsResponses covered ten intentions/actions that were recommended in guidelines for the public on how to support a suicidal person and 5 that were recommended against in the guidelines. Scales were created to measure positive and negative intentions to act and positive and negative actions taken. All three types of training were associated with greater positive intentions and actions, and with lesser negative intentions. These associations were largely due to a greater willingness of those trained to talk openly about suicide with a person in distress.ConclusionsTraining in how to support a person at risk of suicide is associated with better quality of support. Such training merits wider dissemination in the community.

Suicidal Behavior and Personality Traits Contribute to Disability in First-episode Psychosis: A 1-Year Follow-up Study.

Disability encompasses impairments, activity limitations, and restrictions on participation. Improvement in functioning has therefore become a crucial outcome of treatment in psychosis. The main aim of this study was to analyze the potential relationship between suicidal behavior after first episode of psychosis (FEP) and family disability. The second aim was to find out whether personality traits are associated with disability dimensions. The study sample was composed of 65 FEP patients. The personal care, occupational, family, and social dimensions of disability were evaluated at 12months after FEP. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to explore any putative outcome factors associated with dimensions of disability. Personal care during the 1-year follow-up was significantly impaired in suicide attempters and significantly associated with sociopathic personality traits. A decline in occupational functioning was significantly associated with schizotypy traits. On the other hand, deterioration in family, social, and global functioning at 1year after FEP was related to poor premorbid adjustment during late adolescence. Suicidal behavior prevention could improve psychosocial functioning, particularly personal care, in FEP. In addition, sociopathic and schizotypy personality traits as well as poor premorbid adjustment during late adolescence appear to be useful early markers of future disability.

Differences in SNP genotype distributions between complex and simple suicides.

Dysregulations in serotonin neurotransmission can be a strong contributing factor in suicide and impulsive-aggressive personality traits. Victims of suicide form a heterogeneous group in terms of planning, lethality and number of used methods. In this study, we tested single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the monoamine oxidase (MAO) A and B genes on the Slovenian population, which has one of the highest suicide rates in the world. Genotyping was performed on 77 victims of complex suicide, 406 victims of simple suicide and 289 controls. The differences in allele distribution were investigated with the two-tailed χ2 test. Haplotype analysis was performed on 740 subjects. Significant or tendency for significant differences in distribution was observed for all studied polymorphisms in the MAOA gene when comparing male victims of complex suicide, victims of simple suicide and controls. Minor allele frequencies in male victims of complex suicide were A 6.7% for rs3027407, C 13% for rs909525 and T 12.7% for rs1137070; in victims of simple suicide, A 36.3% for rs3027407, C 39.5% for rs909525 and T 36.4% for rs1137070; and in controls, A 25.2% for rs3027407, C 30.4% for rs909525 and T 25.8% for rs1137070. The distribution analysis of polymorphism rs1799836 in the MAOB gene and all studied polymorphisms in the MAOA gene in females failed to show any significant results. GTC haplotype (for rs3027407, rs909525, rs1137070) in MAOA polymorphisms was more frequent in victims of complex suicide compared to that in controls and victims of simple suicide. Compared to victims of complex suicide, male victims of simple suicide were more often carriers of MAOA alleles that are, according to literature, associated with higher levels of impulsivity and anger. These differences in SNP distribution could serve as an additional method of differentiating between victims of complex and victims of simple suicide. Further studies including psychological autopsies should be carried out in order to identify personality traits and behavioural differences among distinct groups of suicide victims.

Textbook of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Part 1 The field of child and adolescent psychiatry: classification of child and adolescent psychiatric disorders - an historical review development of the subspecialty of chld and adolescent psychiatry future trends in child and adolescent psychiatry. Part 2 Assessment and diagnosis: normal growth and development - an overview concepts of diagnostic classification clinical assessment in infancy and early childhood clinical interview of the child clinical interview of the adolescent the parent interview the family interview use of rating scales and questionnaires psychological and neuropsychological testing laboaratory and diagostic testing diagnosis and diagnostic formulation presentation of findings and recommendations. Part 3 Developmental disorders: mental retardation autistic disorder other pervasive developmental disorders developmental disorders of language and learning. Part 4 Schizophrenic and affective disorders: schizophrenic and psychotic disorders mood disorders in children mood disorders in adolescents. Part 5 Disorders of conduct and behaviour: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder oppositional defiant disorder conduct disorder conceptual and diagnostic issues conduct disorders in childhood adolescent conduct and antisocial disorders. Part 6 The anxiety disorders: separation anxiety, overanxious and avoidant disorders obsessive-compulsive disorder simple phobia, social phobia, and panic disorders post traumatic stress disorder in children. Part 7 Eating and nutritional disorders: eating and nutritional disorders of infancy and early childhood anorexia nervosa bulimia nervosa obesity of infancy and childhood. Part 8 Tic and movement disorders: tic, stereotypy, and habit disorders. Part 9 Disorders in somatic function: sleep disorders - infancy through adolescence disorders of elimination concept and classification of psychosomatic disorders the somatoform disorders. Part 10 Special issues in childhood and adoleescence: substance use and abuse gender identity and psychosexual disorders adjustment and reactive disorders child physical abuse child sexual abuse acquired immune deficiency syndrome suicide and suicidality personality disorders forensic psychiatry. Part 11 Treatment: psychopharmacology psychoanalysis and psychodynamic therapy behaviour modification focused timelimited psychotherapy and crisis intervention family therapy group therapy hypnosis.

Suicide risk and personality traits among Egyptian patients with substance use disorders

Background The magnitude of the problem of substance use in Egypt has been growing lately. Substance use disorders (SUDs) have been associated with depression and suicide, as well as impulsivity and specific personality traits. Aim and Objectives This study aimed at evaluating suicide risk and its correlates in a sample of 40 substance users and 40 control subjects. Methods The severity of the addiction problem among substance users was assessed using Addiction Severity Index (ASI). Beck Suicide Inventory (BSI), DSM-5 Brief Personality Inventory (PID-5 BF) and Barrat’s Impulsivity Scale-11 were applied to both groups. Results The study showed that patients with SUDs had a higher suicide risk when compared with controls (P Conclusions Pathological personality traits may be associated with increased risk of suicide in patients with SUDs.

Experiences of the bereaved in connection with the suicide of young men.

On average 110men under 35 years of age take their own lives in Norway each year. Few receive health assistance in the period prior to the suicide, and little research exists on contact with assistance agencies for persons who take their own lives, beyond studies of the number of doctor visits before the death. This study aimed to obtain knowledge of relatives' need for assistance from the health services, both to identify suicide risk and motivate them to seek help in life crises. Sixty-one in-depth interviews with the bereaved next of kin of young men (18-30 years) were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. The bereaved perceived the generally accepted assumption that suicide is attributable to mental illness as an obstacle to identifying suicide risk. Most of the bereaved saw no signs of mental illness before the suicide. The suicide crisis was associated with relational factors. The bereaved who had harboured the thought that a suicide risk existed found that it was not enough to urge the suicidal person to seek health assistance. Improved knowledge of suicide and seeking health assistance were measures that were proposed. The findings challenge the current prevention model. Healthcare personnel as well as the general population should be better informed that mental illness is neither a sufficient nor a necessary factor to explain suicide, even though a higher risk of suicide is associated with some mental disorders.

Emergencias psiquiátricas en niños y adolescentes: Relación entre características clínicas y demográficas

Introducción. Actualmente, la presentación de cuadros agudos de trastornos psiquiátricos es habitual en niños y adolescentes. Objetivo. Determinar la relación entre variables clínicas y demográficas de niños y adolescentes atendidos por emergencia psiquiátrica. Diseño. Estudio cuantitativo, observacional, retrospectivo y analítico. Lugar. Hospital Hermilio Valdizán, Lima, Perú. Participantes. Pacientes menores de 18 años (N=285), de ambos sexos, atendidos durante el período setiembre 2014 - setiembre 2015. Intervenciones. Se recopiló información de historias clínicas, clasificándolas en variables clínicas y demográficas. El análisis univariado se realizó por distribución de frecuencias y el bivariado por pruebas chi cuadrado y exacta de Fisher. Resultados. El 13% de emergencias psiquiátricas fueron pediátricas. Fue más frecuente en el sexo femenino (60%), grupo etario de 12 a 17 años (93,3%) y procedencia Lima Este (73%). La edad media fue 14,8 (DE=2,1) años. Los motivos de emergencia más frecuentes fueron heteroagresividad (28,4%), alucinaciones (13,7%), irritabilidad (11,9%) y autoagresividad (10,9%). La ideación suicida (9,1%) estuvo asociada al sexo femenino OR 3,05 (IC-95%: 1,12-8,35; p=0,023). Las categorías diagnósticas más frecuentes fueron F20-F29 (31,6%), F30-F39 (25,6%) y F60-F69 (18,6%). El F30-F39 OR 2,31 (IC95%: 1,28 a 4,16; p=0,005) y F60-F69 OR 2,11 (IC95%: 1,09 a 4,10; p= 0,025) estuvieron asociados al sexo femenino. El 49% de los pacientes necesitó internamiento. Conclusiones. Existió aumento en prevalencia y menor edad de presentación al comparar con años previos. La heteroagresividad fue el motivo más frecuente de consulta. El sexo femenino tuvo mayor riesgo de Ideación suicida, trastornos del ánimo y personalidad. Se sugiere la elaboración de protocolos estandarizados y manejo especializado.

Perfil Psicopatológico de pacientes con Depresión en la Salud Mental Pública

Introducción: El suicidio es la segunda causa de muerte no natural a nivel mundial, por lo que es evidente que la prevención, evaluación y su tratamiento son imprescindibles. Objetivo: evaluar el perfil de un grupo de pacientes con depresión atendidos en un servicio de salud mental público en formato grupal. Las variables evaluadas son: la ideación suicida, la desesperanza, el perfil los trastornos de personalidad, los niveles ansiedad, la inteligencia emocional, la autoestima y la calidad de vida subjetiva. Método: esta evaluación forma parte del estudio AFRONTA, para la prevención del suicidio y la promoción de la salud mental. La muestra estuvo formada por 80 pacientes con el diagnóstico de depresión tratados en el centro de salud mental del Consorci Sanitari del Maresme. Resultados y discusión: Se observan correlaciones significativas de la autoestima con casi la totalidad de las variables evaluadas, por lo que se muestra como un constructo crucial a evaluar en la población estudiada. Asimismo, la variable desesperanza se muestra más relacionada con otras variables clínicas que la de la depresión medida con el BDI. La reparación de las emociones (según el TMMS-24) correlaciona con ambas variables citadas, demostrándose como una variable básica a tener en cuenta tanto en la evaluación como en el tratamiento. No existen diferencias en las variables evaluadas entre los sujetos que presentan un trastorno de personalidad y los que no la presentan, a excepción de la autoestima. Tampoco se encuentran diferencias en ambos grupos en referencia al impulso suicida pero sí en los intentos autolíticos, que es superior en el grupo con trastorno de personalidad.

Police Views of Suicidal Persons and the Law Criminalizing Attempted Suicide in Ghana: A Qualitative Study With Policy Implications

The penal code of Ghana condemns suicide attempt. The present study sought to explore the views of the police on persons who attempt suicide and the law criminalizing the act. Qualitative in-depth interviews were used to explore the views of 18 officers of the Ghana Police Service. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis technique. Findings showed that the police officers profiled suicide attempters as needy, enigmatic, ignorant, and blameworthy. Majority ( n = 14) of them disagreed with the law and suggested a repeal, whereas only four of them agreed with the law. Regardless of their positions on criminalization, they showed an inclination to help, rather than arrest, when confronted with such persons in line of their duty. Educating the police on suicidal behavior may help to deepen their understanding and help improve the way they handle suicidal persons. This may also strengthen police suicide prevention gatekeeping obligations.

Study of Psychosocial Factors, Modes of Attempt and Psychiatric Morbidities of Suicidal Attempters

Background: Suicide and suicidal attempt is growing concern around the world. We are now at the stage to formulate effective preventive strategies to decrease number of suicides, which is rising significantly for the past few decades. To make effective preventive programme we must study the people who attempted suicide for number variables because they are having the high risk of committing suicide later years. Aim: To analyze psycho social factors, methods of attempt and diagnosis of patients admitted for attempted suicide. Method: It is a retrospective study and includes 548 patients admitted for attempted suicide during the period of June 2014 to May 2016 have been registered in psychiatry department of SRM Medical College and Hospital analyzed retrospectively regarding age, sex, marital status, modes of attempt and diagnosis, results will be discussed. Results: Among total no of attempted suicide, female outnumber male that is 59% of attempted suicide were female, regarding marital status 54% of attempted suicide persons were unmarried, 57% of attempted suicide were less than 30 years of age, regarding method tablet poisoning was most common mode of suicidal attempt that is 52% followed by Insecticide poisoning that is 38%,and 29% of suicidal attempters diagnosed as primary psychiatric diagnosis, depression (41%) is common diagnosis among all psychiatric diagnosis followed by adjustment disorder (21%). Anxiety disorders (20%). Conclusion: We cannot explain suicide and suicidal attempt as a single perspective and we need to look into all factors on every suicidal attempt. For making effective preventive strategies we must be evaluate every individual in all Bio-psycho-social aspects. High prevalence of major mental disorders among the suicidal attempters is alarming because still there are remarkable percentage of individual not getting adequate psychiatric treatment if we identify them at early stages and initiate appropriate treatment we can prevent large proportion of individual who committed suicide ultimately.

Media effects on suicide methods: A case study on Hong Kong 1998-2005.

BackgroundPrevious studies have suggested that mass media’s reports of new suicide methods will increase suicides using the same method. The same pattern seems not to apply to a conventional suicide method, unless it was used by a celebrity.Objective1) to examine media effects on both new and non-new suicide methods during 1998 and 2005 in Hong Kong (HK), when a new method by burning charcoal (CB suicide) was spreading in the region. 2) to examine how CB competed with non-CB methods in terms of media coverage and “recruiting” suicidal persons in the socio-economic context.MethodsA self- and mutual- exciting process model was fitted to the data, adjusting for divorce rate, unemployment rate, and property price index. Breaking the whole period into onset, peak, and post-peak stages, the model was fitted again to examine the differences.ResultsComparable copycat effects were found on both CB and non-CB suicide news. The only cross-method media effects were found in the onset stage when non-CB suicide news showed suppressing effect on CB suicides. CB suicides reported a significant self-excitation effect. A higher divorce rate and lower property price index were associated with significantly more suicides incidences and more suicide news.ConclusionsThe emerging of CB suicide method did not substitute media coverage of non-CB suicide in HK. Media effects in this case were not limited to new suicide method or celebrity suicide. The effects were further fueled by adverse socio-economic conditions.

Digital lives in psychotherapy: ‘the other in the room’

Within the broader area of digital risk, there has been concern over the phenomena of ‘cyber suicide’, a completed or attempted suicide influenced by the internet. We propose a theoretical explanation of the ‘ambivalent self’ in people who go online searching for suicide, by introducing the concept of an inner split between the ‘suicidal part’ (SP) and ‘non-suicidal part’ (NSP) within the personality structure of the individual which struggle for domination of the inner life and external relationships and decisions of the suicidal person. This is grounded in psychoanalytic theory and draws upon a broader conceptualisation of the psyche of the self as split between rival parts, and differing states of mind, competing for control of the vulnerable individual and their capacity to tolerate and manage emotional pain and reality. The recognition and awareness of an inner split between the SP and NSP of the person who goes online, and how this influences virtual relationships, as well as external relationships, such as in psychotherapy, is an important understanding for contemporary psychotherapy and risk management in the digital age.