Suicidal Behavior in Children and Adolescents (Current Perspectives in Psychology)

Robert I Yufit; David Lester; Ebrary, Inc

Current and comprehensive information concerning the assessment and treatment of suicidal persons and the prevention of suicidal behavior The eighth leading cause of death in the United States and the second leading cause among U.S. teens, suicide is unique in being self-inflicted and is, as such, often preventable. By assessing the risk of suicide accurately, providing effective treatment according to this risk, and implementing strategies against suicidal urges, mental health professionals can successfully guide their clients away from this senseless taking of life. Assessment, Treatment, and Prevention of Suicidal Behavior provides the most current and comprehensive source of information, guidelines, and case studies for working with clients at risk of suicide. It offers clinicians, counselors, and other mental health professionals a practical toolbox on three main areas of interest: Screening and Assessment covers empirically based assessment techniques and how they can define dimensions of vulnerability and measure the risk of self-destructive behavior. Authors discuss research on the use of each screening instrument, guidelines and suggestions for using the instrument in practice, and a case study illustrating its application. Intervention and Treatment compares several different approaches for structuring psychotherapy with suicidal clients. Each author covers a psychotherapy system, its application to suicidal clients, and a case study of its real-world... Leer más…

Antoon A. Leenaars

This book is about unique people—some suicidal and some that died by suicide. The book follows the direction of Henry (Harry) Murray: “Never denigrate a fellow human being in fewer than 2000 words.” The main problem facing this book is the one that is the classical issue of psychiatry/psychology itself: the mind–body problem or the admissibility of introspective qualitative accounts as opposed to objective quantitative reports. This debate resonates toWindelband’s (1904) division of two possible approaches to knowledge; that is, between the nomothetic and the idiographic. The nomothetic approach deals with generalizations, using tabular, statistical, arithmetic, demographic, quantitative methods, whereas the idiographic approach involves the intense study of individual(s) (particulars). The latter typically involves the use of qualitative methods, via clinical case study, history, biography, and so on (although at times, as studies of suicide notes show, quantitative methods can also be used). In the study of each unique individual,personal documents are frequently used; for example, treatment notes, medical reports, diaries, autobiographies, third-party interviews and, if I may, suicide notes. The nomothetic approach is well engrained in suicidology, psychology, psychiatry, and science in general. Keeping in mind that a preface represents a compromise for an author between the press for greater inclusion and the need to restrict oneself to a representative introduction,... Leer más…

Columba Mclaughlin

The book is an attempt to make sense of suicide related behaviour in terms of understanding its aetiology and how practitioners can respond in a caring and therapeutic manner. The last 30 years the data gathered has consistently indicated that suicide is a leading cause of death in young people especially men. Alongside this, the incidence of self harm, which has always been high, does not seem to be abating. Some professionals argue that attempted suicide and self harm are both the same entity. This book puts forward that they are two sides of the same coin and this coin is called suicide-related behaviour. This is a general term used in the book to describe all behaviours where the person intended to kill or harm themselves. In doing so relevant issues within the phenomenon of suicide-related behaviour and specific to both self harm and attempted suicide will be explored and addressed. Leer más…

Mildred Osborne M.d.

Electra is a well-loved, beautiful, highly intelligent teenager. Yet, as is not uncommon, she becomes so depressed she contemplates suicide, considering it for years until she finally takes action. Electra's diary, discovered after her death and presented here by a psychiatrist, reveals her first-person reflections through to her fatal college year, showing how thought distortions are caused and how they chip away at self-esteem and the will to survive. In addition to enlightening professionals and aspiring professionals, this work will empower parents to identify and address growing dimensions in their children's development, and understand the struggles they face. And the end result is that Electra's diary teaches us all a lot about changes that are needed so that we can develop effective suicide prevention and treatment strategies, says author Millie Osborne, M.D. Suicide is now a public health crisis. It is the third leading cause of death for youths aged 15 to 24, and the fourth leading cause of death for children aged 10 to 14. As author Osborne explains, Existing approaches to preventing youth suicide have had little impact on reducing the number of suicides and suicide attempts across America. By unveiling the private thoughts of a suicidal teenager in this unprecedented book, Osborne hopes that the legacy of Electra will be an understanding of the adolescent mind that will spur more effective means to recognize, treat, and heal those at risk, and so vastly reduce... Leer más…

Anthony P. Jurich

This book describes a blend of insight-oriented, behavioral, and strategic family therapy, which the author has developed over thirty-four years of dealing with suicidal adolescents. It aims not to replace other forms of therapy but to augment the therapistвЂTMs own therapeutic style. The book offers an informative and personally told story bringing together scholarship and meaningful glimpses into the thought processes of suicidal youth. Written in an understandable, friendly, and practical style, it will appeal to those in clinical practice, as well as graduate-level students pursuing clinical work. Leer más…

Keith Hawton, Keith Hawton, Karen Rodham, Emma Evans

Self-harm in adolescents is an increasingly recognized problem, and there is growing awareness of the important role schools and health services can play in detecting and supporting those at risk. "By Their Own Young Hand" explores the findings of the first large-scale survey of deliberate self-harm and suicidal thinking in adolescents in the UK, and draws out the implications for prevention strategies and mental health promotion. Six thousand young people were asked about their experiences of self-harm, the coping methods they use, and their attitudes to the help and support available. The authors identify the risk and protective factors for self-harm, exploring why some adolescents with suicidal thoughts go on to harm themselves while others do not, what motivates some young people to seek help, and whether distressed teenagers feel they receive the support they need. "By Their Own Young Hand" offers practical advice on how schools can detect young people at risk, cope with the aftermath of self-harm or attempted suicide, and develop training programmes for teachers. It also examines the roles of self-help, telephone helplines, email counselling, and walk-in crisis centres. Packed with adolescents' own personal accounts and perspectives, this accessible overview will be essential reading for teachers, social workers and mental health professionals. Leer más…

Amy Wenzel, Gregory K. Brown, And Aaron T. Beck

Suicide is one of the most daunting challenges that clinicians encounter in their practice. Unfortunately, compared with other mental health issues, there is a paucity of research designed to conceptualize and treat it. This may be why relatively few interventions have been developed specifically to prevent suicide. At the same time, the degree to which interventions with established efficacy apply to suicidal patients is unclear, because these patients are often excluded from clinical trials. Cognitive Therapy for Suicidal Patients: Scientific and Clinical Applications begins to close these gaps in suicide theory and practice. For over 30 years, Aaron T. Beck and his colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania have been conducting empirical research that examines the risk factors for and treatment of suicide ideators and attempters. The result is a book that crystallizes over three decades of basic, clinical, and therapeutic research, providing a comprehensive review of the literature on psychological factors associated with suicidal behavior. Leer más…

S.k. Goldsmith ... [Et Al.], Editors; Committee On Pathophysiology And Prevention Of Adolescent And Adult Suicide, Board On Neuroscience And Behavioral Health, Institute Of Medicine

Every year, about 30,000 people die by suicide in the United States, and some 650,000 receive emergency treatment after a suicide attempt. Often, those most at risk are the least able to access professional help. This book provides a blueprint for addressing this tragic and costly problem : how we can build an appropriate infrastructure, conduct needed research, and improve our ability to recognize suicide risk and effectively intervene. Rich in data, the book also strikes an intensely personal chord, featuring compelling quotes about people's experience with suicide. (Midwest) Leer más…

Geo Stone

Razors pain you; Rivers are damp; Acids stain you; And drugs cause cramp; Guns aren't lawful; Nooses give; Gas smells awful; You might as well live. ---Dorothy Parker, Resume, 1926 The book is divided into two parts. The first half outlines a wide range of suicide-related topics: history of suicide; sociological, biological, and psychiatric views; why people kill themselves; intervention in suicide; assisted suicide in terminal illness; "living wills" and other advance directives; the practice of euthanasia in the Netherlands and in the US. The second half is an examination of how people kill themselves: This section describes, in sometimes-gory detail: (1) methods people use to commit suicide; (2) the medical consequences of suicide attempts; (3) how to carry out a safe suicidal gesture; (4) how to commit suicide as non-traumatically as possible. You may find parts of it disturbing. But the consequences of ignorance are more disturbing: botched suicides, accidental deaths and maimed survivors, slow and painful deaths. Every 18 minutes someone in the United States kills himself. A few are younger than ten years old; others over ninety. Between seven-and-a-half and sixteen percent take more than a day to die. An estimated 300,000 to 600,000 survive suicide attempts, but suffer varying degrees of injury. Nineteen thousand are permanently disabled each year. Estimates vary, but only about one in ten or twenty suicide attempts is... Leer más…

David B., Ph.d. Goldston

Measuring Suicidal Behavior And Risk In Children And Adolescents Offers Practitioners And Researchers Practical, Up-to-date Information On A Wide Range Of Instruments Used To Evaluate Suicidal Behaviors In Children And Adolescents. In This Critical And Comprehensive Reference Book, The Author First Describes Conceptual, Definitional, And Psychometric Issues Important In Evaluating And Comparing Various Assessment Instruments And Then Focuses On Available Instruments That Can Be Used For Screening Purposes Or As Adjuncts In Detecting, Describing, Or Estimating The Risk Of Suicidal Behavior. Among The Types Of Instruments Reviewed Are Psychiatric Diagnostic Interviews, Self-report Inventories, And Survey Screening Items Developed For Several Specific Populations Such As Native American Youths, Runaway And Homeless Youths, And Gay, Lesbian, And Bisexual Youths. The Author Also Discusses Clinical Considerations In The Choice Of Instruments And Offers A Set Of Decision Rules To Help Readers Choose Those Instruments That Meet Their Specific Needs.--book Jacket. Overview. Introduction: Measuring Suicidal Behaviors And Risk -- Conceptual And Definitional Issues -- Detection Instruments. Structured And Semistructured Psychiatric Diagnostic Interviews -- Interviews Specifically Focused On Suicidal Behaviors And Clinician-rated Indices -- Self-report Inventories And Behavior Checklists -- Survey Screening Items For Suicidal Behaviors -- Risk Assessment And Other Instruments.... Leer más…

Thomas E. Joiner

In the wake of a suicide, the most troubling questions are invariably the most difficult to answer: How could we have known? What could we have done? And always, unremittingly: Why? Written by a clinical psychologist whose own life has been touched by suicide, this book offers the clearest account ever given of why some people choose to die. Drawing on extensive clinical and epidemiological evidence, as well as personal experience, Thomas Joiner brings a comprehensive understanding to seemingly incomprehensible behavior. Among the many people who have considered, attempted, or died by suicide, he finds three factors that mark those most at risk of death: the feeling of being a burden on loved ones; the sense of isolation; and, chillingly, the learned ability to hurt oneself. Joiner tests his theory against diverse facts taken from clinical anecdotes, history, literature, popular culture, anthropology, epidemiology, genetics, and neurobiology--facts about suicide rates among men and women; white and African-American men; anorexics, athletes, prostitutes, and physicians; members of cults, sports fans, and citizens of nations in crisis. The result is the most coherent and persuasive explanation ever given of why and how people overcome life's strongest instinct, self-preservation. Joiner's is a work that makes sense of the bewildering array of statistics and stories surrounding suicidal behavior; at the same time, it offers insight, guidance, and essential information... Leer más…

Robert A. King, Alan Apter, Robert A. King

In an epoch when rates of death and illness among the young have steadily decreased in the face of medical progress, the persistently high rates of youth suicide and suicide attempts around the world remain a tragic irony and a challenge to both our clinical practice and theoretical understanding. How can these deaths be prevented? Can they be anticipated? Are there perceptible patterns of risk and vulnerability? What role do families, gender, culture, and biology play? What are the treatments for and outcomes of suicide attempters? To address these questions, experts from around the world in all areas of psychiatry, from epidemiology, neurobiology, genetics and psychotherapy, have brought together their current findings in Suicide in Children and Adolescents. Leer más…

Dennis Ougrin; Tobias Zundel; Audrey V Ng

Self-harm is a distressing and all too common presentation to emergency departments, and yet there is no clear understanding of what it represents, and success rates of interventions to prevent future episodes are enormously variable. Therapeutic Assessment for self-harm is a pragmatic model, developed by the authors of this book and forming an organic part of the psychosocial assessment following a self-harming incident. Its main features are that firstly, a therapeutic intervention at the time of distress, compared with a standard psychosocial history and risk assessment, improves patients' responses and their willingness to engage in further therapy, and secondly, that there is a vast range of evidence-based interventions that can be used to build a toolkit that individual practitioners can employ with their patients. Therapeutic Assessment is evidence-based, simple, and easy to learn, and this book presents the techniques in a clear, accessible, and user-friendly way. Based on extensive research, it will form an essential reference for psychiatrists and clinical psychologists, and for any health professional involved in the assessment of young people who self-harm. Leer más…

David N. Miller Phd

Meeting a crucial need, this book distills the best current knowledge on child and adolescent suicide prevention into comprehensive guidelines for school-based practitioners. The author draws on extensive research and clinical experience to provide best-practice recommendations for developing schoolwide prevention programs, conducting risk assessments, and intervening at different levels of intensity with students at risk. Also presented are postvention procedures for responding effectively if a suicide does occur. Legal and ethical issues are addressed in detail. Reproducible handouts include sample assessment questions for students, teachers, and parents; the book's large-size format and lay-flat binding facilitate photocopying. This book is in The Guilford Practical Intervention in the Schools Series. Leer más…

Edwin S. Shneidman, Judy Collins

Autopsy of a Suicidal Mind is a uniquely intensive psychological analysis of a suicidal mind. In this poignant scientific study, Edwin S. Shneidman, a founder of the field of suicidology, assembles an extraordinary cast of eight renowned experts to analyze the suicidal materials, including a ten-page suicide note, given to him by a distraught mother looking for insights into her son's tragic death. The psychological autopsy centers on the interviews conducted by Shneidman with Arthur's mother, father, brother, sister, best friend, ex-wife, girlfriend, psychotherapist, and attending physician.To gain some understanding of this man's intense psychological pain and to examine what may have been done to save his tortured life, Shneidman approached the top suicide experts in the country to analyze the note and interviews: Morton Silverman, Robert E. Litman, Jerome Motto, Norman L. Farberow, John T. Maltsberger, Ronald Maris, David Rudd, and Avery D. Weisman. Each of the eight experts offers a unique perspective on Arthur's tragic fate, and the sum of their conclusions constitutes an extraordinary psychological autopsy. This book is the first of its kind and a remarkable contribution to the study of suicide. Mental health professionals, students of human nature, and persons whose lives have been touched by this merciless topic will be mesmerized and enlightened by this unique volume. An epistemological tour de force, it will speak to anyone who is concerned with human self-destruction. Leer más…

Diego De Leo; Armin Schmidtke; R. F. W Diekstra; International Association For Suicide Prevention

suicide Prevention: A Holistic Approach Contains The Selected And Edited Papers That Were Presented During The Congress Suicide, Disease, Disadvantage, A Holistic Approach, Organized By The International Association For Suicide Prevention, Which Was Held In June 1995, In Venice. Suicide Prevention Is Still Sadly Neglected By Governments And Public Health Authorities, Despite The Fact That In Several Western Countries Suicide Has Become The Primary Cause Of Death Among Younger Age Groups. The Selected Papers Express The Need For A Holistic Viewpoint In Suicide Management. The Subjects Range From Parasuicide To The Role Of The Media, From The Special Type Of Psychotherapeutic Approach Required To The Most Recent Guidelines In Pharmacological Treatment, From A Homage To The Memory Of Erwin Ringel To The Presentation Of Specific National Prevention Schemes. The Book Will Be Of Interest To Public Health Workers, Doctors, Psychologists And Social Workers, As Well As Voluntary Staff And Their Organizations, And To All Those Who Make Suicide Prevention One Of Their Primary Interests. Leer más…

Gerald A. Juhnke, Darcy Haag Granello, Paul F. Granello(Auth.)

Machine generated contents note: Chapter 1: Suicide in Children and Adolescents (with contributions by Karen Michelle Hunnicutt Hollenbaugh and Alexis M. Rae) Chapter 2: School-Based Suicide Prevention Programming Chapter 3: Working with Suicidal Students in Schools Assessment and Intervention Chapter 4: Working with Students who Engage in Non-Suicidal Self-Inflicted Injury (NSSI) Chapter 5: After a Suicide: Postvention in the School Environment Chapter 6: Utilizing Face-to-Face Clinical Interviews with Violent and Potentially Violent Students and Their Families Chapter 7: Using a Systems of Care Approach with Post Violent and Potentially Violent Students Chapter 8: Utilizing Psychological First Aid when Responding to School Violence Survivors and Their Parents Chapter 9: Adapted Solution Focused Survivors-Parents Debriefing Model Chapter 10: Ethical and Legal Issues Chapter 11: Wrap Up: Preparedness, Checklist Template, and Promising Future Interventions. Leer más…

Alfred Alvarez

**"To write a beautiful book about suicide . . . to transform the subject into something beautiful—this is the forbidding task that A. Alvarez set for himself. . . . He has succeeded."—__New York Times__** "Suicide," writes the notes English poet and critic A. Alvarez, "has permeated Western culture like a dye that cannot be washed out." Although the aims of this compelling, compassionate work are broadly cultural and literary, the narrative is rooted in personal experience: it begins with a long memoir of Sylvia Plath, and ends with an account of the author's own suicide attempt. Within this dramatic framework, Alvarez launches his enquiry into the final taboo of human behavior, and traces changing attitudes towards suicide from the perspective of literature. He follows the black thread leading from Dante through Donne and the romantic agony, to the Savage God at the heart of modern literature. Leer más…

Jennifer Michael Hecht

Worldwide, More People Die By Suicide Than By Murder, And Many More Are Left Behind To Grieve. Despite Distressing Statistics That Show Suicide Rates Rising, The Subject, Long A Taboo, Is Infrequently Talked About. In This Sweeping Intellectual And Cultural History, Poet And Historian Jennifer Michael Hecht Channels Her Grief For Two Friends Lost To Suicide Into A Search For History's Most Persuasive Arguments Against The Irretrievable Act, Arguments She Hopes To Bring Back Into Public Consciousness. From The Stoics And The Bible To Dante, Shakespeare, Wittgenstein, And Such Twentieth-century Writers As John Berryman, Hecht Recasts The Narrative Of Our Secular Age In New Terms. She Shows How Religious Prohibitions Against Self-killing Were Replaced By The Enlightenment's Insistence On The Rights Of The Individual, Even When Those Rights Had Troubling Applications. This Transition, She Movingly Argues, Resulted In A Profound Cultural And Moral Loss: The Loss Of Shared, Secular, Logical Arguments Against Suicide. By Examining How People In Other Times Have Found Powerful Reasons To Stay Alive When Suicide Seems A Tempting Choice, She Makes A Persuasive Intellectual And Moral Case Against Suicide. One.the Ancient World -- Two.religion Rejects Suicide -- Three.to Be Or Not To Be: New Questions In The Rise Of Modernism -- Four.secular Philosophy Defends Suicide -- Five.the Argument Of Community -- Six.modern Social Science On Community And Influence -- Seven.hope For Our... Leer más…

David A. Brent, Kimberly D. Poling, And Tina R. Goldstein

Grounded in decades of research and the clinical care of thousands of depressed and suicidal teens, this highly accessible book will enhance the skills of any therapist who works with this challenging population. The authors describe the nuts and bolts of assessing clients and crafting individualized treatment plans that combine cognitive and behavioral techniques, emotion regulation interventions, family involvement, and antidepressant medication. Illustrated with many clinical examples, each chapter includes a concise overview and key points. Reproducible treatment planning forms and client handouts can also be downloaded and printed by purchasers in a convenient full-page size. Leer más…