The Willingness to Intervene Against Suicide Enhanced Questionnaire.

The purpose of this study was to test the reliability and validity of the Willingness to Intervene against Suicide Enhanced (WISE) questionnaire. The WISE is a revised version of the Willingness to Intervene against Suicide (WIS) questionnaire, which was based on the theory of planned behavior, and it has consistently predicted the intention to intervene with a suicidal individual. Evaluation of the WIS showed that it was internally consistent with adequate goodness-of-fit indices for three of the four scales. The subjective norms scale did not meet the goodness-of-fit indices standard cutoff criteria. Due to this, the WIS questionnaire has been revised into the WISE. However, the dimensionality of these factors needed to be tested. College students (n = 824) completed an online survey to test the WISE. The data were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis, reliability analysis, and multiple regression. The WISE was internally consistent, and the scales met acceptable criteria for goodness-of-fit indices. The WISE explained a range of variance in participants' intention to intervene from 12 to 40%.

Occupational Suicide Exposure and Impact on Mental Health: Examining Differences Across Helping Professions.

The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationship of suicide exposure with depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder across three occupational groups likely to be exposed to suicide (i.e., first responders, crisis workers, mental health professionals). An online survey was completed by 1,048 participants. Results indicated that first responders, mental health professionals, and crisis workers were all exposed to suicide in the routine course of their occupation. Exposure to suicide significantly impacted mental health, specifically on depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms. The level of exposure to suicide was associated with higher levels of depression, anxiety, and PTSD.

Suicide knowledge and intention to intervene: college students.

Objective: The revised Willingness to Intervene against Suicide questionnaire and the Expanded Revised Facts on Suicide Quiz were employed to examine the relationship between college students' knowledge about suicide and intention to intervene. Participants: College students (n = 515) participated, a majority being women and Caucasian. Methods: Participants completed an online survey. Data were analyzed in SPSS. Results: College students have poor knowledge of suicide facts; however, this low level of accurate knowledge was not associated with intention to intervene with a suicidal person. Attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, sex, and no previous suicide attempt were all significant predictors of intention to intervene. Conclusions: These results challenge the notion that one must be well-informed in order to intend to take action.

Suicide Exposure in Crisis Workers.

Background: Crisis workers provide services to individuals who are in acute distress. There is no research examining personal and occupational exposure to suicide in these workers. Aims: We aimed to examine the prevalence of personal, occupational, and colleague suicide exposure among crisis workers, the mental health outcomes associated with suicide exposures, and perceived professional preparedness for client suicide. Method: Crisis workers (n = 115) completed an online survey assessing suicide exposure, depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Results: Over a third of participants (33.9%, n = 37) reported that they had lost at least one client to suicide, with an average of 2.30 clients (SD = 4.47) lost to suicide. Over three quarters (77.1%, n = 81) of study participants reported they had experienced at least one personal loss to suicide. Those who perceived their relationship to the personal suicide as close or very close had significantly greater PTSD symptoms (M = 3.29, SD = 2.23) than those who perceived their relationship as not at all close, not close, or somewhat close (M = 1.38, SD = 1.69), t(20) = -2.10, p = .049. Limitations: Snowball sampling is the study's main limitation. Conclusion: The current study demonstrates that a substantial percentage of crisis workers are exposed to suicide and additional research is needed to determine how exposures impact practice and personal symptoms in this population.

Attitudes and Beliefs of Pediatric Residents and Physician Assistant Students Toward Screening Adolescents for Suicide in Primary Care.

INTRODUCTION: The objectives of this study were to: (1) describe attitudes of health professional trainees for conducting routine screening for suicidal ideation with adolescents; (2) identify the relationship between intention to conduct suicide risk assessments and behavioral attitudes, norm referents, and behavioral control; and (3) investigate the relationship between intention to conduct these assessments and self-reported clinic behavior. METHODS: Second-year physician assistant (PA) students and pediatric residents (MD) at 3 universities voluntarily completed an anonymous cross-sectional questionnaire. The questionnaire was guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior and included items about previous experience with suicide. Pearson correlation and multivariable linear regression were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: There were usable and complete data for 105 respondents (n = 105). The sample included PA students (89.52%, n = 94) and pediatric residents (10.48%, n = 11). Trainees were significantly more likely to have higher intention to conduct suicide risk assessments when they reported greater behavioral control (Std. ß = 0.34, p <0.001) and reported suicide being discussed during previous clinic visits as a student/resident (Std. ß = 0.21, p = 0.03), controlling for profession, race, behavioral attitudes, and norm referents. Trainees were significantly more likely to report conducting suicide risk assessments when they had greater behavioral control (Std. ß = 0.27, p = 0.01) and greater intention to conduct these assessments (Std. ß = 0.21, p = 0.03), controlling for profession, race, behavioral attitudes, and norm referents. DISCUSSION: Second-year PA students and pediatric residents support screening adolescents for suicide risk. Training on methods to increase behavioral control may increase rates of screenings.

Suicide Prevention: College Students' Intention to Intervene.

The objective of this article was to examine college students' intention to intervene with a suicidal individual and examine the Willingness to Intervene against Suicide questionnaire (WIS). College students (n = 1065) completed an online questionnaire about their attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control regarding suicide and suicide intervention as well as their intention to intervene with a suicidal individual. The data were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis, reliability analysis, and multiple regression. It was found that the WIS significantly predicted intention to intervene with a suicidal individual. The WIS was internally consistent with adequate goodness-of-fit indices for three of the four sub-scales. The WIS is an effective tool for predicting intention to intervene; however, the subjective norms sub-scale should be revised to improve the model.

Using the Theory of Planned Behavior to Predict College Students' Intention to Intervene With a Suicidal Individual.

BACKGROUND: Suicide among college students is an issue of serious concern. College peers may effectively intervene with at-risk persons due to their regular contact and close personal relationships with others in this population of significantly enhanced risk. AIMS: The current study was designed to investigate whether the theory of planned behavior constructs predicted intention to intervene when a college peer is suicidal. METHOD: Undergraduate students (n = 367) completed an on-line questionnaire; they answered questions about their attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control regarding suicide and suicide intervention, as well as their intention to intervene when someone is suicidal. The data were analyzed using multiple regression. RESULTS: The statistical significance of this cross-sectional study indicates that the theory of planned behavior constructs predicts self-reported intention to intervene with a suicidal individual. CONCLUSION: Theory of planned behavior is an effective framework for understanding peers' intention to intervene with a suicidal individual.

The Willingness to Intervene Against Suicide Questionnaire.

Three studies resulted in the Willingness to Intervene Against Suicide Questionnaire. College students (ns = 172, 253, and 367) completed an online questionnaire based on theory of planned behavior constructs regarding suicide intervention. Exploratory factor analysis produced 10 factors: intervening will affect the suicidal person and the participant; important others recommend seeking help, suggesting the suicidal person see a counselor, and talking to the suicidal person; interpersonal and intervention self-efficacy; and intention to seek outside help, encourage to seek outside help, and recognize a need for action. The Willingness to Intervene Against Suicide Questionnaire assesses college students' willingness to intervene when someone is suicidal.