Does it get easier over time? Psychologists' experiences of working with suicidal patients

Does working with suicidal patients become easier with time? A representative national survey of 375 psychologists (72% women, Mean age 44 years) showed that years of experience (r = −.13, p = .01) and frequency of contact with suicidal patients (r = −.15, p = .004) correlated only weakly with perce...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Death studies 2022-02, Vol.46 (2), p.458-466
Main Authors: Dundas, Ingrid, Hjeltnes, Aslak, Schanche, Elisabeth, Stige, Signe Hjelen
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptation, Psychological
Adult
Empathy
Female
Humans
Male
Psychologists
Suicidal Ideation
Suicide
Suicides & suicide attempts
Surveys and Questionnaires
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Summary:Does working with suicidal patients become easier with time? A representative national survey of 375 psychologists (72% women, Mean age 44 years) showed that years of experience (r = −.13, p = .01) and frequency of contact with suicidal patients (r = −.15, p = .004) correlated only weakly with perceived difficulty. Thematic analysis of respondents' descriptions of difficult suicide-related situations on an open survey-question yielded four themes: Unreachable patients, choosing between therapy and security, therapist's boundaries and empathy with death-wishes. We conclude that improved confidence in coping with suicidality may require specific training rather than simply years of work.
ISSN:0748-1187
1091-7683
DOI:10.1080/07481187.2020.1740831