Personal and Professional Factors and Suicide Intervention Skills

Abstract

This research investigated the relationship of professional and personal factors to the ability of counselors to respond appropriately to suicidal verbalizations using the Suicide Intervention Response Inventory (SIRI). Level of training, experience with suicidal clients, and death acceptance were positively related to suicide intervention competencies. A personal history of suicidality and a belief that suicide is a personal right were negatively related to such skills. Regression analysis revealed that personal history of suicidality and attitude toward suicide as a personal right accounted for a modest, but significant, percentage of the variance in SIRI scores, beyond that accounted for by professional factors. Post hoc analysis indicated that the negative relationship between personal history of suicidal behaviors and suicide counseling skills was significant in the professionally trained participants. These results highlight the importance of attitudes toward suicide and personal history of suicidality, as well as training and experience, in effectively counseling potentially suicidal clients.

Suicide Intervention Skills in Health Professionals: A Multidisciplinary Comparison

“…The SIRI is a self-administered test that assesses the respondent's ability to select an appropriate response to a series of clinical scenarios in which the patient presents with potential self-harm (Neimeyer & MacInnes, 1981;Neimeyer & Pfieffer, 1994a). Research on the SIRI has documented its good psychometric properties, freedom from social desirability effects, and responsiveness to training in suicide prevention (Cotton & Range, 1992;Neimeyer & Bonnelle, 1997;Neimeyer & Diamond, 1983;Neimeyer, Fortner, & Melby, 2001;Neimeyer & MacInness, 1981;Neimeyer & Neimeyer, 1984). For the present study the measure was translated into Italian and validated, showing acceptable psychometric properties (Palmieri, Forghieri, Farrari et al, 2005).…”

Benefits of Implementing an Academic Training of Trainers Program to Promote Knowledge and Clarity in Work with Psychiatric Suicidal Patients

“…Such projects include training and written guidelines concerning routines for assessment, treatment, and follow-up of suicidal patients. Training general practitioners has already proved to be an efficient way of preventing suicides (Mann, Hinden, & Rihmer, 2003;Rutz, van Knorring, & Worlinder, 1989), and the resulting boost to guide participants knowledge of suicide risk assessment and treatment skills is also documented (Appleby, Morriss, & Gask et al, 2000;Morriss, Gask, & Battersby et al, 1999;Neimeyer, Fortner, & Melby, 2001;Samuelsson & Å sberg, 2002;Tierney 1994;Walker & Osgood, 2000-01).…”

Recognition of Suicide Risk According to the Characteristics of the Suicide Process

“…Research has established that personal histories that affect the health professional can hinder their ability to develop a substantial communication with the suicidal patient, unless these attitudes are examined (Neimeyer et al, 2001). We suggest that training activities are necessary to improve the ability of professionals to cope with the suicide-related thinking of their patients and resolve their own discomfort in talking about suicide with a patient.…”

“…However, recognizing suicide risk is a complex, culturally influenced process, which requires both specialized training and experience. Training in crisis intervention has been shown to increase competency in suicide counseling (Neimeyer, Fortner, & Melby, 2001). Not only is suicide assessment training and crisis intervention experience necessary for the development of expertise in treating suicidal patients, but the clinician's own attitudes and history of suicidality also may be crucial predictors of effective responding as well (Neimeyer, 2000).…”