Coping with Crisis Across the Lifespan: The Role of a Telephone Hotline

Abstract

We describe over 300,000 crisis calls made to a large national hotline over a 5-year period. Callers consisted of males and females between the ages of 10 and 89. Overall, a slight majority of callers were first time callers (52%) and most (73%) sought assistance with issues related to parenting, youth concerns, and mental health. Across the lifespan, issues dealing with loneliness increased with age whereas depression-related calls decreased. Additionally, females were more likely than their male counterparts to call the hotline by over a 2-to 1-margin. Findings lend preliminary support to the efficacy of crisis call centers to utilize a flexible, yet well-defined problem-solving approach to assist those of all ages calling with the wide range of problems.

Configuring the caller in ambiguous encounters: Volunteer handling of calls to Samaritans emotional support services

“…It is organizational policy that all contacts should include a question about whether the caller Leaving aside the difficulty and accuracy of assessing the volunteers' subjective judgements on the basis of calls which are frequently of no more than a few minutes duration (Fairbairn 1995;Fairbairn 1998;Appleby et al 1999;Cooper and Kapur 2004;Samaritans, 2004;Freedenthal 2007;Freedenthal 2008;Lakeman and Fitzgerald 2008), it is clear that the majority of contacts to Samaritans fall outside the formal service remit: most callers are not assessed to be in a state of crisis when they contact the organization. Data from previous analysis of calls undertaken within Samaritans correspond with findings in the literature relating to both Samaritans and other suicide crisis helplines in reporting a substantial proportion of calls to be from frequent and repeat (rather than new) callers, especially women, and those with psychiatric illness (Holding 1974;de Anda and Smith 1993;Hall and Schlosar 1995;Mishara 1997;Samaritans 2004;Watson et al 2006;Fakhoury 2007;Ingram et al 2008). Previous studies report that the majority of callers are seeking general social support when they contact suicide crisis lines, including Samaritans, rather than help in dealing with an acute crisis (de Anda and Smith 1993;Hall and Schlosar 1995;Samaritans 2004;Watson et al 2006).…”

“…Data from previous analysis of calls undertaken within Samaritans correspond with findings in the literature relating to both Samaritans and other suicide crisis helplines in reporting a substantial proportion of calls to be from frequent and repeat (rather than new) callers, especially women, and those with psychiatric illness (Holding 1974;de Anda and Smith 1993;Hall and Schlosar 1995;Mishara 1997;Samaritans 2004;Watson et al 2006;Fakhoury 2007;Ingram et al 2008). Previous studies report that the majority of callers are seeking general social support when they contact suicide crisis lines, including Samaritans, rather than help in dealing with an acute crisis (de Anda and Smith 1993;Hall and Schlosar 1995;Samaritans 2004;Watson et al 2006).…”

“…Only the caller has the authority and responsibility to make decisions about his own life, including the judgement that his best interests are to end it. Unlike many suicide crisis helplines (de Anda and Smith 1993;Mishara 1997;King et al 2003;Barber et al 2004;Kalafat et al 2007;Ingram et al 2008), Samaritans will not advise or actively intervene to deflect a caller who declares intent to die by suicide. Volunteers aim to offer the caller unconditional, nonjudgemental acceptance and support.…”

Caractéristiques des appelants réguliers utilisateurs de deux centres d'écoute ou d'intervention téléphonique du Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean :

“…En ce qui a trait à la répartition des sexes, les femmes semblent plus nombreuses parmi les appelants réguliers malgré l'attrait de ce type de services pour les hommes (Ingram & al., 2008 ;Gréer, 1976). Maltais, Savard et Gauthier (2010) ajoutent que la presque totalité des appelants vivent seuls et plus de la moitié sont atteints d'une souffrance mentale élevée.…”

“…Par le fait même, les problèmes les plus souvent exprimés par les appelants réguliers sont les problèmes de santé mentale et le fait de souffrir solitude (Coveney & al., 2012 ;Lifeline, 2005 ;Watson, McDonald & Pearce, 2006). De ces deux problématiques, les préoccupations en lien avec la santé mentale sont les plus souvent mentionnées (Coveney & al., 2012 ;Ingram & al., 2008 ;Pollock & al., 2010 ;Urbis Keys Young, 2002).…”