Help Seeking and Engagement for Young Men aged 18 to 30 years in Suicidal Crisis: a Prospective Cohort Study

Abstract

Due to the continuing high suicide rates among young men, there is a need to understand help-seeking behaviour and engagement with tailored suicide prevention interventions. The aim of this study was to explore help-seeking behaviour and engagement for young men aged 18 to 30 years who attended a therapeutic centre for men in a suicidal crisis. In this prospective cohort study, data were collected from 546 men who were referred into a community-based therapeutic service in North West England. Of the 546 men, 337 (52%) received therapy; 161 (48%) were aged between 18 and 30 years (mean age 24 years, SD=3.4). One third (n=54; 34%) of the men were seen within 48 hours of their referral. Analyses included baseline differences, symptom trajectories for the CORE-34 Clinical Outcome Measure (CORE-OM) and engagement with the therapy. For the CORE 34 there was a clinically significant reduction in mean scores between assessment and discharge (p<0.001), with all outcomes demonstrating a large effect size. Future research needs to assess the long-term effects of help-seeking using a brief psychological intervention for young men in order to understand whether the effects of the therapy are sustainable over a period of time following discharge from the service.

Psychological risk factors predictive of suicidal distress in men receiving a community‐based brief psychological intervention

“…Typically, the LYCT component of the intervention is administered at three‐time points throughout the JPM therapeutic journey and have been designed to prompt discussion between the therapist and man of suicidal thoughts and beliefs they may be experiencing. Further details of the JPM and service are available (e.g., Chopra et al., 2022; Hanlon et al., 2022; Saini et al., 2020, 2022; Saini, Chopra, Hanlon, & Boland, 2021; Saini, Chopra, Hanlon, Boland, & O'Donoghue, 2021).…”