Suicide Prevention and New Technologies: Towards Evidence Based Practice
01 Jan 2013-pp 1-23
TL;DR: Telephone support for suicidal people expanded rapidly since the start of the Samaritan movement in the United Kingdom, founded by Reverend Chad Varah in 1953, and today, telephone helplines provide crisis inter- vention, emotional support and suicide prevention services throughout the world.
Abstract: Throughout most of human history people with personal problems would need to seek out another person to obtain help or emotional support. The alternative was to deal with the problem oneself, pray for divine intervention or have some solace from religious beliefs. In more recent times, for those few with the ability and culture to do so, one could also seek information, guidance or support from printed books. The second half of the 20th century was a period when the use of face- to-face professional help expanded throughout the world. During this same period, books became a source of a “do-it-yourself” psychological treatment, with an exponential growth in self-help books for almost any human affliction. In the mid-20th century, a new technology, the telephone, expanded the options for help seeking. Telephone support for suicidal people expanded rapidly since the start of the Samaritan movement in the United Kingdom, founded by Reverend Chad Varah in 1953 (Mishara, 2012). Today, telephone helplines provide crisis inter- vention, emotional support and suicide prevention services throughout the world. For examples, Befrienders Worldwide has affiliate helplines in more than 40 countries that provide telephone help based upon the Samaritan approach.
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TL;DR: A positive effect of the 113Online chat service is found, to be enhanced by practice standards addressing an apparent lack of focus on the central issue of suicidality during chats, as well as by the development of best practices specific for online crisis intervention.
Abstract: Recognizing the importance of digital communication, major suicide prevention helplines have started offering crisis intervention by chat. To date there is little evidence supporting the effectiveness of crisis chat services. To evaluate the reach and outcomes of the 113Online volunteer-operated crisis chat service, 526 crisis chat logs were studied, replicating the use of measures that were developed to study telephone crisis calls. Reaching a relatively young population of predominantly females with severe suicidality and (mental) health problems, chat outcomes for this group were found to be comparable to those found for crisis calls to U.S. Lifeline Centers in 2003-2004, with similar but not identical associations with specific helpers' styles and attitudes. Our findings support a positive effect of the 113Online chat service, to be enhanced by practice standards addressing an apparent lack of focus on the central issue of suicidality during chats, as well as by the development of best practices specific for online crisis intervention.
57 citations
TL;DR: This study demonstrated that CAT can be applied successfully to reduce the length of the Dutch version of the BSS, arguing that the use of CAT can improve the accuracy and the response burden when assessing the risk of future suicidal behavior online.
Abstract: Background: The Internet is used increasingly for both suicide research and prevention. To optimize online assessment of suicidal patients, there is a need for short, good-quality tools to assess elevated risk of future suicidal behavior. Computer adaptive testing (CAT) can be used to reduce response burden and improve accuracy, and make the available pencil-and-paper tools more appropriate for online administration. Objective: The aim was to test whether an item response–based computer adaptive simulation can be used to reduce the length of the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSS). Methods: The data used for our simulation was obtained from a large multicenter trial from The Netherlands: the Professionals in Training to STOP suicide (PITSTOP suicide) study. We applied a principal components analysis (PCA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), a graded response model (GRM), and simulated a CAT. Results: The scores of 505 patients were analyzed. Psychometric analyses showed the questionnaire to be unidimensional with good internal consistency. The computer adaptive simulation showed that for the estimation of elevation of risk of future suicidal behavior 4 items (instead of the full 19) were sufficient, on average. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that CAT can be applied successfully to reduce the length of the Dutch version of the BSS. We argue that the use of CAT can improve the accuracy and the response burden when assessing the risk of future suicidal behavior online. Because CAT can be daunting for clinicians and applied scientists, we offer a concrete example of our computer adaptive simulation of the Dutch version of the BSS at the end of the paper. [J Med Internet Res 2014;16(9):e207]
47 citations
TL;DR: This work is a systematic review of research papers published in the last ten years on technology for suicide prevention, finding technologies that help the prevention of suicide and much remains to be done in this field.
Abstract: Suicide is the second cause of death in young people. The use of technologies as tools facilitates the detection of individuals at risk of suicide thus allowing early intervention and efficacy. Suicide can be prevented in many cases. Technology can help people at risk of suicide and their families. It could prevent situations of risk of suicide with the technological evolution that is increasing. This work is a systematic review of research papers published in the last ten years on technology for suicide prevention. In September 2017, the consultation was carried out in the scientific databases PubMed, ScienceDirect, PsycINFO, The Cochrane Library and Google Scholar. A general search was conducted with the terms "prevention" AND "suicide" AND "technology. More specific searches included technologies such as "Web", "mobile", "social networks", and others terms related to technologies. The number of articles found following the methodology proposed was 90, but only 30 are focused on the objective of this work. Most of them were Web technologies (51.61%), mobile solutions (22.58%), social networks (12.90%), machine learning (3.23%) and other technologies (9.68%). According to the results obtained, although there are technological solutions that help the prevention of suicide, much remains to be done in this field. Collaboration among technologists, psychiatrists, patients, and family members is key to advancing the development of new technology-based solutions that can help save lives.
45 citations
TL;DR: How mobile phone technology has the potential to move the field forward in terms of understanding suicide risk as well as laying foundations for the development of effective treatments/interventions is discussed.
Abstract: In this editorial, we discuss how mobile phone technology has the potential to move the field forward in terms of understanding suicide risk as well as laying foundations for the development of effective treatments/interventions. We have focused on mobile health technology given the rapid growth of mobile health approaches in suicide prevention (De Jaegere & Portzky, 2014; Mishara & Kerkhof, 2013) and psychological research more generally (Myin-Germeys et al., 2009; Nock, Prinstein, & Sterba, 2009; Palmier-Claus et al., 2011) and because mobile phone use is ubiquitous, with 75% of the world having access to a mobile phone (Kay, 2011). (aut. ref.)
40 citations
Cites methods from "Suicide Prevention and New Technolo..."
...We have focused on mobile health technology given the rapid growth of mobile health approaches in suicide prevention (De Jaegere & Portzky, 2014; Mishara & Kerkhof, 2013) and psychological research more generally (Myin-Germeys et al., 2009; Nock, Prinstein, & Sterba, 2009; Palmier-Claus et al.,…...
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TL;DR: This clinician-friendly review provides an overview of the principal features of currently available mobile health apps that are specially designed for suicide prevention, along with discussion of emerging capabilities and limitations including the lack of research regarding the clinical effectiveness of mobile healthapps.
Abstract: Mobile devices, and the apps (software applications) that operate on them, have potential to help manage and prevent suicidal behavior by assisting with assessment of risk, providing educational and support information, and facilitating access to safety plans, crisis support, and coping tools. This clinician-friendly review provides an overview of the principal features of currently available mobile health apps that are specially designed for suicide prevention. The use of patient contact interventions (i.e., text messaging and e-mail interventions) on mobile devices is also discussed. Recommendations for selecting and integrating these tools into patient care are provided, along with discussion of emerging capabilities and limitations including the lack of research regarding the clinical effectiveness of mobile health apps. The topics presented should be informative to individual practitioners as well as health care organizations that are considering adopting these technologies into their services.
31 citations
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01 Jan 1950TL;DR: If the meaning of the words “machine” and “think” are to be found by examining how they are commonly used it is difficult to escape the conclusion that the meaning and the answer to the question, “Can machines think?” is to be sought in a statistical survey such as a Gallup poll.
Abstract: I propose to consider the question, “Can machines think?”♣ This should begin with definitions of the meaning of the terms “machine” and “think”. The definitions might be framed so as to reflect so far as possible the normal use of the words, but this attitude is dangerous. If the meaning of the words “machine” and “think” are to be found by examining how they are commonly used it is difficult to escape the conclusion that the meaning and the answer to the question, “Can machines think?” is to be sought in a statistical survey such as a Gallup poll.
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TL;DR: Findings that point to the psychological value of studying particles-parts of speech that include pronouns, articles, prepositions, conjunctives, and auxiliary verbs are summarized.
Abstract: The words people use in their daily lives can reveal important aspects of their social and psychological worlds. With advances in computer technology, text analysis allows researchers to reliably and quickly assess features of what people say as well as subtleties in their linguistic styles. Following a brief review of several text analysis programs, we summarize some of the evidence that links natural word use to personality, social and situational fluctuations, and psychological interventions. Of particular interest are findings that point to the psychological value of studying particles—parts of speech that include pronouns, articles, prepositions, conjunctives, and auxiliary verbs. Particles, which serve as the glue that holds nouns and regular verbs together, can serve as markers of emotional state, social identity, and cognitive styles.
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1,828 citations
TL;DR: Examining the extent to which a nontraditional form of peer aggression—cyberbullying—is also related to suicidal ideation among adolescents suggests that a suicide prevention and intervention component is essential within comprehensive bullying response programs implemented in schools.
Abstract: Empirical studies and some high-profile anecdotal cases have demonstrated a link between suicidal ideation and experiences with bullying victimization or offending. The current study examines the extent to which a nontraditional form of peer aggression--cyberbullying--is also related to suicidal ideation among adolescents. In 2007, a random sample of 1,963 middle-schoolers from one of the largest school districts in the United States completed a survey of Internet use and experiences. Youth who experienced traditional bullying or cyberbullying, as either an offender or a victim, had more suicidal thoughts and were more likely to attempt suicide than those who had not experienced such forms of peer aggression. Also, victimization was more strongly related to suicidal thoughts and behaviors than offending. The findings provide further evidence that adolescent peer aggression must be taken seriously both at school and at home, and suggest that a suicide prevention and intervention component is essential within comprehensive bullying response programs implemented in schools.
1,523 citations