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1.
JMIR Serious Games ; 12: e47513, 2024 May 09.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38725223

ABSTRACT

Background: Adolescent mental health is of utmost importance. E-mental health interventions, and serious games in particular, are appealing to adolescents and can have beneficial effects on their mental health. A serious game aimed at improving cognitive vulnerability (ie, beliefs or attitudes), which can predispose an individual to mental health problems, can contribute to the prevention of these problems in adolescents. Objective: This study aimed to assess the feasibility of the prototype of a serious game called "Silver." Methods: The prototype of the serious game was developed using a user-centered participatory design. The prototype of Silver focused on 1 aspect of a serious game for improving cognitive vulnerability in adolescents, that is, the recognition and identification of cognitive distortions. Through the game, players were required to identify and classify the character's thoughts as helpful or unhelpful. Upon successful advancement to the next level, the task becomes more challenging, as players must also identify specific types of cognitive distortions. A pre- and posttest uncontrolled design was used to evaluate the game, with a 1-week intervention phase in which participants were asked to play the game. Participants aged 12-16 years were recruited in schools. The outcomes of interest were the recognition of cognitive distortions and presence of participants' cognitive distortions. The game was also evaluated on its effects, content, and usefulness. Results: A total of 630 adolescents played Silver and completed the assessments. Adolescents were significantly better at recognizing cognitive distortions at the pretest (mean 13.09, SD 4.08) compared to the posttest (mean 13.82, SD 5.09; t629=-4.00, P<.001). Furthermore, their cognitive distortions decreased significantly at the posttest (mean 38.73, SD 12.79) compared to the pretest (mean 41.43, SD 10.90; t629=7.98, P<.001). Participants also indicated that the game helped them recognize cognitive distortions. Many participants considered the game appealing (294/610, 48.2%) but boring (317/610, 52%) and preferred a more comprehensive game (299/610, 49%). Conclusions: Findings from this study suggest that a serious game may be an effective tool for improving cognitive vulnerability in adolescents. The development of such a serious game, based on the prototype, is recommended. It may be an important and innovative tool for the universal prevention of mental health problems in adolescents. Future research on the effects of the game is warranted.

2.
Aging Ment Health ; : 1-8, 2024 May 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38708865

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to increase the understanding of suicidality in older adults by investigating the prevalence, characteristics, risk and protective factors of suicidal phenomena in community-dwelling older adults (60+) in Flanders, specifically of a current wish to die (WTD) and lifetime suicidal ideation and behaviour (LSIB). METHOD: Cross-sectional data from the Belgian Ageing Studies (BAS) is used (N = 3050). The BAS aims to monitor the needs and quality of life of community-dwelling older adults through a standardised survey. Statistical methods used are bivariate analyses and binary logistic regression. RESULTS: Prevalence rates of 4.8% for WTD and 8.2% for LSIB are found. LSIB is the biggest predictor of a current WTD, followed by requiring support on three domains, elder abuse, depression and subjective cognitive complaints, and elder abuse were significant risk factors for both WTD and LSIB. Limited effects of protective factors were found. CONCLUSION: Previous research regarding risk factors to be confirmed in this study, and new insights on the effect of elder abuse, subjective indicators of cognitive complaints and requiring support are added. Further research into protective factors and underlying mechanisms is required.

3.
J Affect Disord ; 351: 372-380, 2024 Apr 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38302063

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic brought along many known risk factors for suicide. It is important to map out contributing and protective factors for suicide risk and examine possible changes in these associations during pandemics such as COVID-19. The current study aimed to examine how information on risk and protective factors obtained through a suicide prevention helpline is linked to the assessed suicide risk and the possible impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Data on 9474 calls registered by operators of the suicide prevention helpline of Flanders (i.e., part of Belgium) were analysed using network analysis. Using network analyses allowed for a data-driven examination of direct and indirect pathways through which risk and protective factors are associated to perceived suicide risk. The network before and during COVID-19 were compared to examine the possible impact of the pandemic. RESULTS: Our findings suggest that different vulnerability and protective factors contribute to perceived suicide risk. Experiencing a break-up, abuse, previous attempt(s), experienced difficulties with the healthcare system and availability of resources were directly and uniquely associated with perceived suicide risk before and during COVID-19. LIMITATIONS: Main limitations of this study are the possible bias of operator assessment accuracy, absence of several important psychological risk factors and the use of cross-sectional data. CONCLUSIONS: The current study provides insight in the effect of COVID-19 on suicidality and its risk and protective factors amongst suicide prevention helpline users, a population with high risk of suicide. Implications for suicide prevention helplines are discussed.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Suicide , Humans , Suicide Prevention , Hotlines , Cross-Sectional Studies , Pandemics , COVID-19/prevention & control , Suicide/psychology
4.
Suicide Life Threat Behav ; 54(1): 95-107, 2024 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37970735

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Men are at elevated risk of suicide compared to women. Adherence to traditional norms of masculinity can interfere with potential protective factors such as openness to talk and seeking social support, which can contribute to the increased suicide risk. An online public health campaign was developed to improve mental health among men and tackle the stigma surrounding it. This study aimed at examining whether the online suicide prevention campaign targeting men increased openness to talk about emotions and help-seeking behavior and decreased hopelessness and adherence to traditional gender norms concerning self-reliance. METHOD: 250 men (18+) from Flanders (Belgium) were recruited online and given access to the campaign website for a period of 3 days. Before and after viewing the campaign website, participants were asked to complete an online survey. RESULTS: Viewing the campaign was associated with a small increase in help-seeking intention when experiencing suicidal thoughts. Among men who reported mental health problems, a small increase in openness to communicating and expressing emotions was found after viewing the campaign. In general, participants evaluated the campaign positively. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated the potential beneficial impact of an online prevention campaign specifically targeting men on health behaviors that may protect against suicidal behavior.


Subject(s)
Suicide Prevention , Suicide , Male , Humans , Female , Suicidal Ideation , Mental Health , Surveys and Questionnaires
5.
Arch Suicide Res ; : 1-21, 2023 Nov 23.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37994872

ABSTRACT

There is a need for well-described treatments targeting individuals at risk for suicidal behaviors. The present study aims to investigate the effectiveness of MBCT adapted to individuals who are suicidal (MBCT-S) in a randomized controlled trial, comparing an intervention group receiving MBCT-S and treatment as usual (TAU) with a control group receiving TAU only. Participants who were 18 years or older and experienced suicidal ideation were included. Assessments on suicidal ideation and symptoms associated with suicidal behavior were carried out at baseline, post-treatment, and 12 weeks after the end of the training. When comparing the intervention group with the control group, a significant reduction was found at follow-up in suicidal ideation and depressive symptoms. When focusing on the intervention group only, a significant reduction was found in suicidal ideation, depressive symptoms, hopelessness, worrying, defeat, and entrapment, and a significant increase in mindfulness both at post-treatment and at follow-up. The findings suggest that MBCT-S is a promising suicide-specific intervention as it may have the potential to reduce suicidal ideation and suicide-related components.

6.
BMC Public Health ; 23(1): 1741, 2023 09 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37679752

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Suicidal ideation, or thinking about death and suicide, is common across all layers of society. The aim of this paper is to add to the understanding of suicidal ideation in the general population, as well as help-seeking behaviors and perceived unmet mental health needs among those who report suicidal thoughts. METHODS: The research is part of a representative population-based survey study of mental wellbeing in Antwerp (Flanders, Belgium) carried out in 2021. A total of 1202 participants between 15 and 80 years old answered the Ask Suicide-Screening Questions (ASQ), and an additional question about suicide plans. Participation was by invitation only and possible online or via a postal paper questionnaire. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to explore the association between both current suicidal ideation and self-reported lifetime suicide attempt with the sociodemographic factors age, gender, educational level, origin and financial distress. Moreover, formal care use for mental health was examined among those experiencing suicidal ideation, and logistic regression analyses were used to assess associated sociodemographic factors. Finally, perceived unmet mental health needs were assessed among suicide ideators. RESULTS: The point-prevalence of suicidal ideation was 8.6% and was higher among younger age groups and individuals reporting financial distress. The lifetime-prevalence of suicide attempts is 6.5% and was higher in younger people and individuals with a primary educational level and with financial distress. About half (45.6%) of those with suicidal ideation consulted a professional for mental health problems in the past twelve months. Men and those with a primary educational level were less likely to seek help. Half of suicide ideators without care use perceived some need for mental health care, and a third of suicide ideators who used care perceived the obtained help as insufficient, resulting in a population prevalence of 3.6% suicide ideators with a fully or partially perceived unmet need. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of suicide attempts, suicidal ideation and unmet needs among suicide-ideators is high in this Belgian sample. Mental health care need perception in suicide ideators needs further investigation.


Subject(s)
Research Design , Suicidal Ideation , Male , Humans , Adolescent , Young Adult , Adult , Middle Aged , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Belgium/epidemiology , Suicide, Attempted , Age Factors
7.
J Med Internet Res ; 25: e46771, 2023 06 26.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37358893

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Suicide is a global public health problem. Digital interventions are considered a low-threshold treatment option for people with suicidal ideation or behaviors. Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) targeting suicidal ideation has demonstrated effectiveness in reducing suicidal ideation. However, suicidal ideation often is related to additional mental health problems, which should be addressed for optimal care. Yet, the effects of iCBT on related symptoms, such as depression, anxiety, and hopelessness, remain unclear. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to analyze whether digital interventions targeting suicidal ideation had an effect on related mental health symptoms (depression, anxiety, and hopelessness). METHODS: We systematically searched CENTRAL, PsycInfo, Embase, and PubMed for randomized controlled trials that investigated guided or unguided iCBT for suicidal ideation or behaviors. Participants reporting baseline suicidal ideation were eligible. Individual participant data (IPD) were collected from eligible trials. We conducted a 1-stage IPD meta-analysis on the effects on depression, anxiety, and hopelessness-analyzed as 2 indices: symptom severity and treatment response. RESULTS: We included IPD from 8 out of 9 eligible trials comprising 1980 participants with suicidal ideation. iCBT was associated with significant reductions in depression severity (b=-0.17; 95% CI -0.25 to -0.09; P<.001) and higher treatment response (ie, 50% reduction of depressive symptoms; b=0.36; 95% CI 0.12-0.60; P=.008) after treatment. We did not find significant effects on anxiety and hopelessness. CONCLUSIONS: iCBT for people with suicidal ideation revealed significant effects on depression outcomes but only minor or no effects on anxiety and hopelessness. Therefore, individuals with comorbid symptoms of anxiety or hopelessness may require additional treatment components to optimize care. Studies that monitor symptoms with higher temporal resolution and consider a broader spectrum of factors influencing suicidal ideation are needed to understand the complex interaction of suicidality and related mental health symptoms.


Subject(s)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy , Depression , Humans , Depression/therapy , Suicidal Ideation , Anxiety/therapy , Internet
8.
Can J Psychiatry ; 68(6): 461-469, 2023 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36632009

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To examine whether sexual and gender minority (SGM) emerging adults perceived their SGM status was linked to suicidal ideation, and to explore if their responses fell within tenets of the minority stress framework. METHOD: Open text (survey) responses of Dutch and Flemish SGM emerging adults (n = 187) were thematically analysed using the constant comparative comparison method for qualitative analysis. RESULTS: We identified 8 themes in our qualitative analysis. Two themes fell within the scope of the minority stress framework that has received little attention: (1) concerns about relationships and family planning and (2) feeling different (internal stressor). Two additional themes emerged largely beyond the scope of existing minority stress framework studies on suicidality: (3) SGM-related questioning; (4) negativity in LGBT communities. Four established minority stress framework themes emerged: (5) gender identity stress; (6) victimization; (7) coming-out stress; (8) psychological difficulties linked to SGM status. CONCLUSION: Suicide prevention needs to focus on supporting SGM emerging adults who worry about feeling "different", or who have concerns over their romantic and family life, on reducing gender minority stress, as well as on caring for those who are victimized due to their sexual or gender identity.


Subject(s)
Gender Identity , Sexual and Gender Minorities , Humans , Female , Adult , Male , Suicidal Ideation , Sexual Behavior/psychology , Emotions
9.
Suicide Life Threat Behav ; 53(2): 270-281, 2023 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36650920

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Suicide is a serious public health concern worldwide. Current psychological interventions targeting suicidal ideation and behavior are, however, limited and often lack convincing empirical support. Future-Oriented Group Training (FOGT) targets crucial aspects of the suicidal process, thus possibly offering a promising intervention for suicidal ideation. This study aimed at investigating the short-term and long-term effects of FOGT on suicidal thoughts and related variables. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial was conducted, comparing the intervention group (FOGT + treatment as usual (TAU)) to a control group (TAU) at pre and posttreatment and at a 12-week follow-up. Suicidal ideation was the primary outcome, while depressive symptoms, hopelessness, defeat, entrapment, worrying, and the ability for future-oriented thinking were secondary outcomes. RESULTS: When compared to the control group, the intervention group showed significant decreases in worrying at posttreatment and significant increases in future-oriented thinking at follow-up. Pre-post analyses within the intervention group showed significant small-to-medium effects for primary as well as most secondary outcomes. Changes in suicidal ideation, depression, hopelessness, and future-oriented thinking remained significant at follow-up. CONCLUSION: This study provides promising empirical evidence for the use of FOGT for individuals with suicidal ideation.


Subject(s)
Suicidal Ideation , Suicide , Humans , Suicide/psychology , Anxiety , Forecasting , Affect
10.
Evid Based Ment Health ; 25(e1): e8-e17, 2022 12.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36535686

ABSTRACT

QUESTION: Digital interventions based on cognitive-behavioural therapy (iCBT) is associated with reductions in suicidal ideation. However, fine-grained analyses of effects and potential effect-moderating variables are missing. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of iCBT on suicidal ideation, effect moderators, effects on suicide attempts and predictors of adherence. STUDY SELECTION AND ANALYSIS: We systematically searched CENTRAL, PsycINFO, Embase and PubMed for randomised controlled trials that investigated iCBT for suicidal ideation or behaviours. Participants reporting baseline suicidal ideation were eligible. We conducted a one-stage individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis. Suicidal ideation was the primary outcome, analysed as three indices: severity of suicidal ideation, reliable changes and treatment response. FINDINGS: We included IPD from nine out of ten eligible trials (2037 participants). iCBT showed significant reductions of suicidal ideation compared with control conditions across all indices (severity: b=-0.247, 95% CI -0.322 to -0.173; reliable changes: b=0.633, 95% CI 0.408 to 0.859; treatment response: b=0.606, 95% CI 0.410 to 0.801). In iCBT, the rate of reliable improvement was 40.5% (controls: 27.3%); the deterioration rate was 2.8% (controls: 5.1%). No participant-level moderator effects were identified. The effects on treatment response were higher for trials with waitlist-controls compared with active controls. There were insufficient data on suicide attempts. Human support and female gender predicted treatment adherence. The main source of potential bias was missing outcome data. CONCLUSIONS: The current evidence indicates that iCBT is effective in reducing suicidal ideation irrespective of age, gender and previous suicide attempts. Future studies should rigorously assess suicidal behaviour and drop-out reasons.


Subject(s)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy , Suicidal Ideation , Humans , Female , Suicide, Attempted
11.
Suicide Life Threat Behav ; 52(6): 1178-1192, 2022 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36056550

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This study examined associations of minority stressors (i.e., victimization, internalized homonegativity, and stigma consciousness), and coping styles (i.e., active, avoidant, and passive) with suicidal ideation and suicide attempts (suicidality) among sexual and gender minority (SGM) young adults, and whether coping style moderated these associations. METHODS: Logistic regression analyses examined these associations among 1432 SGM young adults (ages 18-29). RESULTS: Minority stressors and passive coping were associated with a higher likelihood of suicidality. Avoidant coping was associated with a lower likelihood of lifetime suicidal ideation and attempts among sexual minority participants, and active coping with a lower likelihood of past-year suicidal ideation among sexual minority participants. Moderation analyses among sexual minority participants showed that when avoidant coping was high, associations between low victimization (compared with no victimization) and lifetime suicide attempts, and stigma consciousness and lifetime suicide attempts became non-significant, and the association between internalized homonegativity and lifetime suicide attempts became significant. Among gender minority participants, when passive coping was high the association between low victimization and lifetime suicidal ideation became significant. CONCLUSION: This study underlines the importance of minority stress and coping for suicidality among SGM young adults and the need for more research regarding the role of coping.


Subject(s)
Bullying , Sexual and Gender Minorities , Young Adult , Humans , Adolescent , Adult , Suicidal Ideation , Suicide, Attempted , Sexual Behavior
13.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33799679

ABSTRACT

Cyberbullying victimization is associated with mental health problems and reported to occur more in nonheterosexual orientation youth (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and questioning (LGBQ)) than among heterosexual youth. Parental support may protect against mental health problems after being victimized, but nonsupportive parental influences may also exacerbate harm. This study investigated whether parenting dimensions (autonomy support, psychological control) moderated the associations between bullying victimization and mental health problems among heterosexual and LGBQ adolescents. An anonymous survey was completed by 1037 adolescents (M age = 15.2 ± 1.9, 50% female). Regression analyses examined associations between victimization, sexual orientation, and mental health problems, and investigated the moderating role of parenting. Both forms of victimization were associated with higher mental health problems. LGBQ youth experienced more depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation than heterosexual youth. Lower levels of parental psychological control and higher levels of autonomy support were related to having fewer mental health problems. However, perceived autonomy support appeared less protective when adolescents experienced more frequent victimization. Moreover, parental psychological control was related to heightened risk for suicidal plans specifically among LGBQ youth and also exacerbated the association between cyberbullying victimization and stress among LGBQ youth. These findings underscore the need to address parenting in whole-school antibullying and mental health promotion programs.


Subject(s)
Bullying , Crime Victims , Cyberbullying , Adolescent , Female , Humans , Male , Mental Health , Parenting , Sexual Behavior
14.
Arch Sex Behav ; 50(3): 983-1001, 2021 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33398694

ABSTRACT

Sexual minority emerging adults are more likely to engage in suicidal ideation than their heterosexual counterparts. Experiences of homophobic violence are associated with suicidal ideation. Yet, the specific mechanisms linking homophobic violence to suicidal ideation remain unclear. Entrapment and social belongingness were tested to determine their relevance for understanding the link between homophobic violence and suicidal ideation. A sample of sexual minority Dutch emerging adults (N = 675; ages 18-29, M = 21.93 years, SD = 3.20) were recruited through online platforms and flyers. Homophobic violence was expected to be positively associated with suicidal ideation and entrapment. The association between homophobic violence and suicidal ideation was expected to be indirectly linked through entrapment. We explored whether various sources of social belongingness moderated the path between entrapment and suicidal ideation and whether those sources of social belongingness moderated the indirect effect of homophobic violence on suicidal ideation through entrapment. Results showed that homophobic violence and entrapment were positively associated with suicidal ideation and that family belongingness was negatively associated with suicidal ideation. Homophobic violence and suicidal ideation were not indirectly linked through entrapment. The interaction effect between entrapment and family belongingness was significant, suggesting that, on average, the effect of entrapment on suicidal ideation decreased when family belongingness was high. These results suggest that family belongingness may reduce the association between entrapment and suicidal ideation while adjusting for homophonic violence. Reducing entrapment and improving family belongingness may be useful targets for programs aimed at preventing suicidal ideation among sexual minority emerging adults.


Subject(s)
Family Relations/psychology , Sexual and Gender Minorities/psychology , Suicidal Ideation , Adolescent , Adult , Humans , Male , Netherlands , Risk Factors , Young Adult
15.
Br J Psychiatry ; 219(2): 419-426, 2021 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35048835

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Safety planning-type interventions (SPTIs) for patients at risk of suicide are often used in clinical practice, but it is unclear whether these interventions are effective. AIMS: This article reports on a meta-analysis of studies that have evaluated the effectiveness of SPTIs in reducing suicidal behaviour and ideation. METHOD: We searched Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Web of Science and Scopus from their inception to 9 December 2019, for studies that compared an SPTI with a control condition and had suicidal behaviour or ideation as outcomes. Two researchers independently extracted the data. To assess suicidal behaviour, we used a random-effects model of relative risk based on a pooled measure of suicidal behaviour. For suicidal ideation, we calculated effect sizes with Hedges' g. The study was registered at PROSPERO (registration number CRD42020129185). RESULTS: Of 1816 unique abstracts screened, 6 studies with 3536 participants were eligible for analysis. The relative risk of suicidal behaviour among patients who received an SPTI compared with control was 0.570 (95% CI 0.408-0.795, P = 0.001; number needed to treat, 16). No significant effect was found for suicidal ideation. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first study to report a meta-analysis on SPTIs for suicide prevention. Results support the use of SPTIs to help preventing suicidal behaviour and the inclusion of SPTIs in clinical guidelines for suicide prevention. We found no evidence for an effect of SPTIs on suicidal ideation, and other interventions may be needed for this purpose.


Subject(s)
Suicide Prevention , Humans , Suicidal Ideation
16.
Behav Res Ther ; 119: 103406, 2019 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31176889

ABSTRACT

Suicide is a major public health issue, and treatment of suicidal thoughts may contribute to its prevention. Provision of online treatment of suicidal ideation may reduce barriers that suicidal individuals experience in face-to-face treatment. We therefore aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of a web-based intervention targeting a reduction of suicidal ideation. We carried out a two-arm, parallel-design, randomised controlled trial in the general population in Flanders (Belgium) (registered as NCT03209544). Participants who were 18 years or older and experienced suicidal ideation were included. The intervention group (n = 365) received access to the unguided web-based intervention, and the control group (n = 359) was placed on a waitlist. Assessments were carried out at baseline and at 6 and 12 weeks. Participants reported high levels of suicidal ideation, depression, hopelessness, worrying, and anxiety at baseline. Compared to the control group, participants in the intervention group experienced a significant decline in suicidal ideation, depression, hopelessness, worrying, and anxiety both at post-test and at follow-up. An important limitation of the study was a high dropout rate, in particular in the intervention group. Our findings suggest that the online self-help intervention was more effective in reducing suicidal ideation and suicide-related symptoms than a waitlist control in a severely affected population. It can help in filling the gap between crisis help and face-to-face treatment.


Subject(s)
Internet-Based Intervention , Suicidal Ideation , Adolescent , Adult , Anxiety/complications , Anxiety/therapy , Depression/complications , Depression/therapy , Female , Humans , Male , Treatment Adherence and Compliance/statistics & numerical data , Young Adult
17.
PLoS One ; 14(5): e0216317, 2019.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31048918

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Intentional drug overdose is the most common method of self-harm. As psychiatric disorders are very common in self-harm patients, the medication used to treat these disorders can become the means for the self-harm act. The present study aimed at investigating an association between the use of prescribed medication (analgesics and antipyretics, anti-epileptics, antipsychotics, antidepressants and psychostimulants) as a method of self-harm and prescription rates of this medication in Flanders. We investigated the possible effect of gender, alcohol use during the self-harm act and a history of self-harm. METHODS: Data from the multicenter study of self-harm in Flanders between 2008 and 2013 were used. The significance of differences in percentages was calculated by GEE and the strength by odds ratios (OR). RESULTS: There was an increase in the odds of using antidepressants (0.8%) and antipsychotics (2%) among females when the rate of prescription increases. Analgesics and antipyretics (39.3/1,000) and antidepressants (124.9/1,000) were the most commonly prescribed drugs among females. Antidepressants (63.9/1,000) and antipsychotics (26.5/1,000) were the most commonly prescribed drugs among males. Antidepressants and analgesics and antipyretics were the most frequently used medications for self-harm. Analgesics and antipyretics during the self-harm act were more common among first-timers, while repeaters more commonly overdosed using antipsychotics and antidepressants. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the availability of medication via prescriptions plays an important role in the choice of the medication ingested during the self-harm act. Precautions are necessary when prescribing medication, including restrictions on the number of prescriptions and the return of unused medication to pharmacies after cessation of treatment. These issues should be a focus of attention in the education and training of physicians and pharmacists.


Subject(s)
Drug Overdose/epidemiology , Drug Overdose/prevention & control , Prescription Drugs/adverse effects , Psychotropic Drugs/adverse effects , Suicide, Attempted , Adult , Belgium/epidemiology , Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Prescription Drugs/administration & dosage , Psychotropic Drugs/administration & dosage , Sex Factors
18.
Front Psychol ; 9: 2139, 2018.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30538647

ABSTRACT

Suicide and attempted suicide are major public health concerns. In recent decades, there have been many welcome developments in understanding and preventing suicide, as well as good progress in intervening with those who have attempted suicide. Despite these developments, though, considerable challenges remain. In this article, we explore both the recent developments and the challenges ahead for the field of suicide research and prevention. To do so, we consulted 32 experts from 12 countries spanning four continents who had contributed to the International Handbook of Suicide Prevention (2nd edition). All contributors nominated, in their view, (i) the top 3 most exciting new developments in suicide research and prevention in recent years, and (ii) the top 3 challenges. We have synthesized their suggestions into new developments and challenges in research and practice, giving due attention to implications for psychosocial interventions. This Perspective article is not a review of the literature, although we did draw from the suicide research literature to obtain evidence to elucidate the responses from the contributors. Key new developments and challenges include: employing novel techniques to improve the prediction of suicidal behavior; testing and applying theoretical models of suicidal behavior; harnessing new technologies to monitor and intervene in suicide risk; expanding suicide prevention activities to low and middle-income countries; moving toward a more refined understanding of sub-groups of people at risk and developing tailored interventions. We also discuss the importance of multidisciplinary working and the challenges of implementing interventions in practice.

19.
Med Educ Online ; 23(1): 1521246, 2018 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30244668

ABSTRACT

Previous research has shown that residents are at risk for developing burnout. Most burnout measures focus on individual risk factors, although work-organizational-focused measures might be beneficial as well. This study analyzed the relative importance of positive and negative work-organizational stressors, according to residents themselves, with NVivo11. Eleven work-organizational themes were found with deductive reasoning and two themes, recognition and success experiences, were found inductively. Main positive stressors are professional development, receiving feedback, experiencing success, autonomy and social support. Main negative stressors are high workloads, role conflicts/ambiguity, long work hours, and a lack of feedback, a lack of social support, and a lack of professional development. Measures to improve residents' well-being should not only focus on reducing workload and work hours. Our results suggest to allocate resources to improve supervisors' skills, such as providing social support, feedback, and recognition. A better match between internship obligations and residents' studies could also contribute positively to this purpose.


Subject(s)
Burnout, Professional/epidemiology , Internship and Residency/organization & administration , Workplace/psychology , Adult , Belgium/epidemiology , Female , Formative Feedback , Humans , Male , Organizational Culture , Personnel Staffing and Scheduling , Physician's Role/psychology , Professional Autonomy , Risk Factors , Social Support , Staff Development/organization & administration , Workload/psychology
20.
Curr Opin Psychol ; 22: 12-17, 2018 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30122271

ABSTRACT

Suicide and suicidal behavior are major public health concerns. As a result, a number of psychological models have been developed to better understand the emergence of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. One such model is the integrated motivational-volitional model, a tri-partite model of suicidal behavior, which posits that entrapment is central to the final common pathway to suicide. In this review, we summarize the extant research evidence for the relationship between entrapment and suicidal ideation and behavior. Although there is robust evidence for the relationship between entrapment and suicidal ideation and behavior, there are gaps in our knowledge. We discuss the clinical implications and suggest key directions for future research.


Subject(s)
Models, Psychological , Suicide/psychology , Humans , Motivation , Volition
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