Does a Gatekeeper Suicide Prevention Program Work in a School Setting? Evaluating Training Outcome and Moderators of Effectiveness

The current study sought to evaluate the suicide prevention gatekeeper training program QPR (Question, Persuade, and Refer) among school personnel using a non‐equivalent control group design. Substantial gains were demonstrated from pre‐ to post‐test for attitudes, knowledge, and beliefs regarding suicide and suicide prevention. Exploratory analyses revealed the possible moderating effects of age, professional role, prior training, and recent contact with suicidal youth on QPR participants' general knowledge, questioning, attitudes toward suicide and suicide prevention, QPR quiz scores, and self‐efficacy. The need for replication using a more rigorous experimental design in the context of strong community collaboration is discussed.     

The Emergence of Suicidal Ideation During the Post‐Hospital Treatment of Depressed Patients

There is a paucity of research on the emergence of suicidal ideation in recently hospitalized patients undergoing treatment for depression. As part of a larger clinical trial, patients (N = 103) with major depression without suicidal ideation at hospital discharge were followed for up to 6 months while receiving study‐related outpatient treatments. Fifty‐five percent reported the emergence of suicidal ideation during the outpatient period, with the vast majority (79%) exhibiting this problem within the first 2 months post‐discharge. Seventy percent of those reporting severe suicidality prior to hospitalization exhibited a reemergence of suicidal ideation post‐discharge. However, 29% without significant suicidality at the index hospitalization later developed suicidal ideation during the outpatient treatment period. A faster time to the emergence of suicidal ideation was predicted by both higher prehospitalization levels of suicidal ideation as well as greater depression severity at hospital discharge. Overall, rates of emergent suicidal ideation found in the current sample of recently hospitalized patients were higher than those reported in previous outpatient samples.     

Correlates of Serious Suicidal Ideation and Attempts in Female Adult Sexual Assault Survivors

Relations between (a) serious suicidal ideation and attempts and (b) demographics, trauma history, assault characteristics, post‐assault outcomes, and psy‐chosocial variables were examined among female adult sexual assault survivors. Younger, minority, and bisexual survivors reported greater ideation. More traumas, drug use, and assault disclosure related to greater attempts, whereas perceived control over recovery was related to fewer attempts. Child sexual abuse and some assault characteristics predicted suicidal behavior. Depression was related to suicidal behavior until psychosocial variables were accounted for. Specifically, using substances to cope and self‐blame predicted greater ideation, whereas receiving aid/information support was related to less ideation. Implications for research and treatment are discussed.     

The Implicit Apophaticism of Dada Zurich: A Spiritual Quest by Means of Nihilist Procedures

The present article focuses on the intrinsic theological intuitions of the Avant‐garde. More to the point, the article is built around the key representatives of Dada Zurich and the relationship between their art and the concept of Byzantine apophaticism in an attempt to argue that the apparently anarchist movement can and should be interpreted in this theological key. Mostly due to a confusing understanding of nihilism and apophaticism, previous scholarship has generally linked Dada with nihilism, in spite of the anti‐nihilist essence of the central Dada ideals, such as man's spiritual freedom, the total work of art (Gesamtkunstwerk) and the positive use of otherwise anarchist techniques, such as chance and de‐contextualisation. Methodologically, the article investigates each of these concepts from an apophatic perspective; thus, it focuses, respectively, on the deeply anthropologic interest of the Dadaists, their use of chance as an apophatic creative force, and on de‐contextualization as a key to understanding Dada spiritual concern with primitive art. Overall, this is a theological analysis of the early Dada artists in Zurich, aiming to underline the principles of their deeply apophatic manner of understanding and creating art.     

An Integrative Suicide Prevention Program for Visitor Charcoal Burning Suicide and Suicide Pact

An integrative suicide prevention program was implemented to tackle an outbreak of visitor charcoal burning suicides in Cheung Chau, an island in Hong Kong, in 2002. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the program. The numbers of visitor suicides reduced from 37 deaths in the 51 months prior to program implementation to 6 deaths in the 42 months post‐implementation period. The number of visitor suicide pacts decreased from 7 pacts (15 individuals) to 1 pact (2 individuals). No statistically significant differences in the numbers of visitor suicide attempts and resident suicides were observed in the two time periods. No statistically significant changes in visitor suicides during the study period were observed on the comparison islands. The consistency and timing of reduction in visitor suicides correlated with the development and delivery of the integrative program on the intervention island, suggesting a causal association between program delivery and reduction of visitor suicides. The possibility of displacement seems small because there was no increase in visitor suicides on the comparison islands during the study period. This integrative approach in preventing target‐specific suicides may serve as an example for other communities to develop suicide prevention programs that make use of the existing local resources.     

Suicidology: A Look Backward and Ahead

Using the metaphor of “a long run’ to describe our progress in suicidology, the author looks back to discuss important concepts that have become well established, such as clues to suicide, ambivalence, crisis services, suicide consultations, and psychological autopsies. An example is the psychological autopsy of Marilyn Monroe. Follow-up studies of crisis center clients have indicated that chronically suicidal clients are at the greatest risk of suicide. Recommendations for the long-term treatment of such patients are provided. Research on youth suicide is reported. Finally, the author looks ahead toward new developments in training and treatment.