Answer to Question #206264 in Psychology for Shenice

Question

A Grade 8 student comes to you, as her teacher, and tells you that she wishes to kill herself.

2.1 Define suicide. (2)

2.2 How should you respond in this situation? (8)

2.3 Which factors, according to the prescribed book, might be at play in adolescent suicide? (10)

Prescribed book PED3701. Gouws,E. The Adolescent. Unisa custom edition. Cape Town:Pearson

Answer 1

Attitudes toward suicide vary widely. Some people hold religious or spiritual views that have strong sanctions against suicidal behavior. Others see suicide as a viable option for ending unmanageable pain or suffering or as an acceptable option in other circumstances. Some hold the view that it is all right to think about suicide but not to act on those thoughts. Our attitudes are influenced by our culture, childhood experiences, and especially, by our professional and personal experiences with suicidal thinking and behavior.

Before working with clients who are suicidal, counselors are advised to conduct their own suicidal attitude inventory. The goal of the inventory is not to change your views but rather to help you understand what your views are and how those views can positively or negatively affect your interactions with clients. Some of the items you might consider in an inventory include:

• What is my personal and family history with suicidal thoughts and behaviors?
• What personal experiences do I have with suicide or suicide attempts, and how do they affect my work with suicidal clients?
• What is my emotional reaction to clients who are suicidal?
• How do I feel when talking to clients about their suicidal thoughts and behaviors?
• What did I learn about suicide in my formative years?
• How does what I learned then affect how I relate today to people who are suicidal, and how do I feel about clients who are suicidal?
• What beliefs and attitudes do I hold today that might limit me in working with people who are suicidal?

These views may also need to be further clarified by consultation with your clinical supervisor or with your peers.

As noted, your attitudes about suicide are strongly influenced by your life experiences with suicide and similar events. Needless to say, your responses to suicide and to people who are suicidal are highly susceptible to attitudinal influence, and these attitudes play a critical role in work with people who are suicidal. An empathic attitude can assist you in engaging and understanding people in a suicidal crisis. A negative attitude can cause you to miss opportunities to offer hope and help or to overreact to people in a suicidal crisis. Below are some attitudinal issues to consider in working with people who are suicidal.

Positive Attitude and Behavior 1: People in substance abuse treatment settings often need additional services to ensure their safety.

Explanation: Merely receiving substance abuse treatment may lessen the risk of suicide. A good working relationship with a substance abuse treatment professional is, in fact, a powerful protective factor against suicide. However, individuals who are acutely suicidal may need more services (e.g., mental health evaluation, short-term emergency hospitalization) to ensure their safety. In addition, certain clients, including those who are poorly connected to other clients and to treatment providers, clients who are making little progress in treatment, and clients at major transition points in care (e.g., moving from inpatient to outpatient care or being administratively discharged) may be at increased risk. An empathic attitude can help you recognize these challenging circumstances and proactively assess and intervene.

Positive Attitude and Behavior 2: All clients should be screened for suicidal thoughts and behaviors as a matter of routine.

Explanation: “Don't ask, don't tell” is not an effective agency suicide policy. Take the following actions to prevent clients from being exposed to life-threatening situations and to prevent exposing yourself and your agency to legal risk of malpractice:

• Screen for suicide and ask followup questions.
• Follow up with a client when risk has been previously documented.
• Take appropriate action when risk is detected.
• Document suicide-related screening and interventions.
• Communicate suicide risk to another professional or agency.