Article Version of Record

Mental health workers’ views about their suicide prevention role

Author(s) / Creator(s)

Ross, Virginia
Sankaranarayanan, Anoop
Lewin, Terry J.
Hunter, Mick

Abstract / Description

Aim: Mental Health workers bear responsibility for preventing suicide in their client group. Survey studies have indicated that staff can be seriously adversely affected when a client suicides. The aim of the current study is to describe and evaluate the effects on mental health (MH) workers of their ongoing role in managing suicidal behaviours and to identify the thoughts and feelings associated with this role. Method: A survey was administered to 135 MH workers via an on-line self-report vehicle. The survey comprised standardised measures of anxiety and burnout as well as a questionnaire developed for this study concerning perceptions and attitudes to suicide and suicide prevention. Results: Factor analysis of 12 retained items of the questionnaire identified three factors: 1) preventability beliefs (beliefs about suicide being always and/or permanently preventable); 2) associated distress (stress/anxiety about managing suicidal behaviour); and 3) the prevention role (covering views about personal roles and responsibilities in preventing suicidal behaviours). Analysis of these factors found that many MH workers experience an elevation of stress/anxiety in relation to their role in managing suicidal behaviours. This distress was associated with the emotional exhaustion component of burnout. Measures showed adverse responses were higher for outpatient than inpatient workers; for those who had received generic training in suicide prevention: and for those who had experienced a workplace related client suicide. Conclusion: There is a need for the development of appropriate self-care strategies to alleviate stress in MH workers exposed to suicide.

Keyword(s)

mental health workers suicide prevention impact of role emotional exhaustion burnout

Persistent Identifier

Date of first publication

2016-03-24

Journal title

Psychology, Community & Health

Volume

5

Issue

1

Page numbers

1–15

Publisher

PsychOpen GOLD

Publication status

publishedVersion

Review status

peerReviewed

Is version of

Citation

Ross, V., Sankaranarayanan, A., Lewin, T. J., & Hunter, M. (2016). Mental health workers’ views about their suicide prevention role. Psychology, Community & Health, 5(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.5964/pch.v5i1.174
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Ross, Virginia
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Sankaranarayanan, Anoop
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Lewin, Terry J.
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Hunter, Mick
  • PsychArchives acquisition timestamp
    2018-12-06T06:49:12Z
  • Made available on
    2018-12-06T06:49:12Z
  • Date of first publication
    2016-03-24
  • Abstract / Description
    Aim: Mental Health workers bear responsibility for preventing suicide in their client group. Survey studies have indicated that staff can be seriously adversely affected when a client suicides. The aim of the current study is to describe and evaluate the effects on mental health (MH) workers of their ongoing role in managing suicidal behaviours and to identify the thoughts and feelings associated with this role. Method: A survey was administered to 135 MH workers via an on-line self-report vehicle. The survey comprised standardised measures of anxiety and burnout as well as a questionnaire developed for this study concerning perceptions and attitudes to suicide and suicide prevention. Results: Factor analysis of 12 retained items of the questionnaire identified three factors: 1) preventability beliefs (beliefs about suicide being always and/or permanently preventable); 2) associated distress (stress/anxiety about managing suicidal behaviour); and 3) the prevention role (covering views about personal roles and responsibilities in preventing suicidal behaviours). Analysis of these factors found that many MH workers experience an elevation of stress/anxiety in relation to their role in managing suicidal behaviours. This distress was associated with the emotional exhaustion component of burnout. Measures showed adverse responses were higher for outpatient than inpatient workers; for those who had received generic training in suicide prevention: and for those who had experienced a workplace related client suicide. Conclusion: There is a need for the development of appropriate self-care strategies to alleviate stress in MH workers exposed to suicide.
    en_US
  • Publication status
    publishedVersion
  • Review status
    peerReviewed
  • Citation
    Ross, V., Sankaranarayanan, A., Lewin, T. J., & Hunter, M. (2016). Mental health workers’ views about their suicide prevention role. Psychology, Community & Health, 5(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.5964/pch.v5i1.174
    en_US
  • ISSN
    2182-438X
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/1925
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.2291
  • Language of content
    eng
  • Publisher
    PsychOpen GOLD
  • Is version of
    https://doi.org/10.5964/pch.v5i1.174
  • Keyword(s)
    mental health workers
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    suicide prevention
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    impact of role
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    emotional exhaustion
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    burnout
    en_US
  • Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)
    150
  • Title
    Mental health workers’ views about their suicide prevention role
    en_US
  • DRO type
    article
  • Issue
    1
  • Journal title
    Psychology, Community & Health
  • Page numbers
    1–15
  • Volume
    5
  • Visible tag(s)
    Version of Record