Suicide
- LAST REVIEWED: 05 May 2017
- LAST MODIFIED: 24 May 2017
- DOI: 10.1093/obo/9780195389678-0041
- LAST REVIEWED: 05 May 2017
- LAST MODIFIED: 24 May 2017
- DOI: 10.1093/obo/9780195389678-0041
Introduction
Each year about 30,000 people in the United States and 1 million worldwide die by suicide, and 650,000 people in the United States receive emergency treatment each year after attempting suicide. Despite society’s concern for the act of suicide, there is no process designed to screen for suicide that has been proven to reduce mortality rates. Further, predicting which individuals who verbalize suicidal ideation will actually attempt suicide has not been achieved with a high degree of sensitivity or reliability. This entry provides information on risk factors for suicide, evaluation, initial management, and appropriate follow-up of the suicidal patient. The issue of suicide has mystified clinicians and academicians alike. The question: Why is it that members of the only species capable of taking an action of self-harm will, at times, decide to end their own lives? The issue of suicide is dichotomous: on one hand, suicide is viewed as a sin, a coward’s way out; on the other, it can be a heroic gesture if, for example, a soldier volunteers for a “suicide mission.” Suicide is an act that captures the hearts of millions, challenging the mind with extreme and vast questions, running the complete gamut of emotions from fascination to revulsion. Regardless of where the reader stands on this continuum, it is important to note that the subject matter is vast and the difficulties with completing studies on the subject are remarkable. In this light, this bibliography serves as a beginning point for examining this complex topic.
Introductory Works
Understanding suicide and suicide risk reduction strategies is a key component to effectively treating suicidal individuals within clinical practice settings. There exist, however, remarkable gaps and questions regarding professional training, cultural competence, and research in the area of suicide risk reduction. Feldman 2006 questions the degree of training received by social workers in graduate programs. Flynn, et al. 2009 provides information of criminology characteristics of suicide and homicide. Joe 2008 conducts systematic literature reviews to calculate research contributions related to professional practice, risk identification and cultural competence. Similarly, Macgowan 2004 challenges the structure of research studies on youth suicide prevention. Finally, Joiner 2005 provides salient information on key factors related to suicide risk and decision making. Finally Joe and Niedermeier 2008 provides a summary of peer-reviewed publications between 1980 and 2006 examining suicide risk factors.
Feldman, Barry N. 2006. Social work education in suicide intervention and prevention: An unmet need? Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior 36.4: 467–480.
DOI: 10.1521/suli.2006.36.4.467
The authors used a web-based survey (N=598) of social workers to determine education provided regarding suicide. Results indicated that most respondents report working with suicidal clients, yet they received little, if any, training in suicide prevention or intervention. Implications for social work education and practice are discussed.
Flynn, Sandra, Nicola Swinson, David While, Isabelle M. Hunt, Alison Roscoe, and Cathryn Rodway. 2009. Homicide followed by suicide: A cross-sectional study. Journal of Forensic Psychiatry and Psychology 20.2: 306–321.
DOI: 10.1080/14789940802364369
This study examined social, clinical, and criminological characteristics of a national sample of perpetrators to identify any previous contact with mental health services and to establish risk of suicide after homicide. Findings indicated that significantly fewer perpetrators of homicide-suicide, compared with those committing homicide or suicide alone, were in contact with mental health services.
Joe, Sean. 2008. Preventing suicide: A neglected social work research agenda. British Journal of Social Work 38.3: 507–530.
Systematic electronic and manual searches for suicide research published in peer-reviewed journals by social work investigators from 1980 to 2006, to understand social work clinical knowledge related to suicide risk factors and effective treatments.
Joe, Sean, and Danielle M. Niedermeier. 2008. Social work research on African-Americans and suicidal behavior: A systematic 25-year review. Health and Social Work 33.4: 249–257.
Social work’s knowledge base for recognition and treatment of suicidal behavior among African Americans is questioned. Findings from a systematic review of social work publications on African American suicide and suicidal behavior describe the state of social workers’ contribution to and knowledge of suicide risk factors and effective treatments.
Joiner, Thomas E. 2005. Why people die by suicide. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Univ. Press.
Joiner describes 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 examines his theory against popular theories and provides current facts about suicide rates.
Macgowan, Mark J. 2004. Psychosocial treatment of youth suicide: A systematic review of the research. Research on Social Work Practice 14.3: 147–162.
Review of ten relevant empirical studies was conducted to assess the degree to which current research is successful in reducing suicidal behaviors or suicidal ideation in young people. The findings reveal that most studies had significant methodological limitations. It is concluded the current research on youth suicide prevention remains weak.
Users without a subscription are not able to see the full content on this page. Please subscribe or login.
How to Subscribe
Oxford Bibliographies Online is available by subscription and perpetual access to institutions. For more information or to contact an Oxford Sales Representative click here.
Article
- Abortion
- Adolescent Depression
- Adolescent Pregnancy
- Adolescents
- Adoption
- Adoption Home Study Assessments
- Adult Protective Services in the United States
- African Americans
- Aging
- Aging out of foster care
- Aging, Physical Health and
- Alcohol and Drug Abuse Problems
- Alcohol and Drug Problems, Prevention of Adolescent and Yo...
- Alcohol Problems: Practice Interventions
- Alcohol Use Disorder
- Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias
- Anti-Oppressive Practice
- Asian Americans
- Asian-American Youth
- Assessment
- Autism Spectrum Disorders
- Baccalaureate Social Workers
- Behavioral Health
- Behavioral Social Work Practice
- Bereavement Practice
- Bisexuality
- Brief Therapies in Social Work: Task-Centered Model and So...
- Bullying and Social Work Intervention
- Canadian Social Welfare, History of
- Case Management in Mental Health in the United States
- Central American Migration to the United States
- Child Maltreatment Prevention
- Child Neglect and Emotional Maltreatment
- Child Poverty
- Child Sexual Abuse
- Child Welfare
- Child Welfare and Child Protection in Europe, History of
- Child Welfare Practice with LGBTQ Youth and Families
- Children
- Children of Incarcerated Parents
- Christianity and Social Work
- Chronic Illness
- Clinical Social Work Practice with Adult Lesbians
- Clinical Social Work Practice with Males
- Cognitive Behavior Therapies with Diverse and Stressed Pop...
- Cognitive Processing Therapy
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
- Community
- Community Development
- Community Policing
- Community-Based Participatory Research
- Community-Needs Assessment
- Comparative Social Work
- Computational Social Welfare: Applying Data Science in Soc...
- Conflict Resolution
- Council on Social Work Education
- Counseling Female Offenders
- Criminal Justice
- Crisis Interventions
- Cultural Competence and Ethnic Sensitive Practice
- Culture, Ethnicity, Substance Use, and Substance Use Disor...
- Dementia Care
- Dementia Care, Ethical Aspects of
- Depression and Cancer
- Development and Infancy (Birth to Age Three)
- Differential Response in Child Welfare
- Digital Storytelling for Social Work Interventions
- Direct Practice in Social Work
- Disabilities
- Disability and Disability Culture
- Disasters
- Divorce
- Domestic Violence Among Immigrants
- Early Pregnancy and Parenthood Among Child Welfare–Involve...
- Eating Disorders
- Ecological Framework
- Economic Evaluation
- Elder Mistreatment
- End-of-Life Decisions
- Epigenetics for Social Workers
- Ethical Issues in Social Work and Technology
- Ethics and Values in Social Work
- Ethnicity
- European Institutions and Social Work
- European Union, Justice and Home Affairs in the
- Evidence-based Social Work Practice
- Evidence-based Social Work Practice: Finding Evidence
- Evidence-based Social Work Practice: Issues, Controversies...
- Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Designs
- Families
- Families with Gay, Lesbian, or Bisexual Parents
- Family Caregiving
- Family Group Conferencing
- Family Policy
- Family Services
- Family Therapy
- Family Violence
- Fathering Among Families Served By Child Welfare
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
- Field Education
- Financial Literacy and Social Work
- Financing Health-Care Delivery in the United States
- Forensic Social Work
- Foster Care
- Foster care and siblings
- Gay Men
- Gender, Violence, and Trauma in Immigration Detention in t...
- Generalist Practice and Advanced Generalist Practice
- Group Work
- Group Work across Populations, Challenges, and Settings
- Group Work, Research, Best Practices, and Evidence-based
- Harm Reduction
- Health Care Reform
- Health Disparities
- Health Social Work
- History of Social Work and Social Welfare, 1900–1950
- History of Social Work and Social Welfare, 1950-1980
- History of Social Work and Social Welfare, pre-1900
- History of Social Work from 1980-2014
- History of Social Work in China
- History of Social Work in Northern Ireland
- History of Social Work in the Republic of Ireland
- History of Social Work in the United Kingdom
- HIV/AIDS
- HIV/AIDS and Children
- HIV/AIDS Prevention with Adolescents
- Homelessness
- Homelessness Outside the United States
- Housing
- Human Needs
- Human Trafficking, Victims of
- Immigrant Integration in the United States
- Immigrant Policy in the United States
- Immigrants and Refugees
- Immigrants and Refugees: Evidence-based Social Work Practi...
- Immigration and Health Disparities
- Immigration and Intimate Partner Violence
- Immigration and Poverty
- Immigration and Spirituality
- Immigration and Substance Use
- Impact of Emerging Technology in Social Work Practice
- Impaired Professionals
- Implementation Science and Practice
- Indigenous Peoples
- Individual Placement and Support (IPS) Supported Employmen...
- In-home Child Welfare Services
- Intergenerational Transmission of Maltreatment
- International Social Welfare
- International Social Work
- International Social Work and Education
- International Social Work and Social Welfare in Southern A...
- Internet and Video Game Addiction
- Interpersonal Psychotherapy
- Intervention with Traumatized Populations
- Interviewing
- Intimate-Partner Violence
- Juvenile Justice
- Kinship Care
- Korean Americans
- Latinos and Latinas
- Law, Social Work and the
- LGBTQ Populations and Social Work
- Life Span
- Mainland European Social Work, History of
- Major Depressive Disorder
- Management and Administration in Social Work
- Maternal Mental Health
- Measurement, Scales, and Indices
- Medical Illness
- Men: Health and Mental Health Care
- Mental Health
- Mental Health Diagnosis and the Addictive Substance Disord...
- Mental Health Needs of Older People, Assessing the
- Mental Illness: Children
- Mental Illness: Elders
- Meta-analysis
- Microskills
- Middle East and North Africa, International Social Work an...
- Military Social Work
- Mixed Methods Research
- Moral distress and injury in social work
- Motivational Interviewing
- Multiculturalism
- Native Americans
- Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders
- Neighborhood Social Cohesion
- Neuroscience and Social Work
- Nicotine Dependence
- Occupational Social Work
- Organizational Development and Change
- Pain Management
- Palliative Care
- Palliative Care: Evolution and Scope of Practice
- Pandemics and Social Work
- Parent Training
- Personalization
- Person-in-Environment
- Philosophy of Science and Social Work
- Physical Disabilities
- Podcasts and Social Work
- Police Social Work
- Political Social Work in the United States
- Positive Youth Development
- Postmodernism and Social Work
- Postsecondary Education Experiences and Attainment Among Y...
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Poverty
- Practice Interventions and Aging
- Practice Interventions with Adolescents
- Practice Research
- Primary Prevention in the 21st Century
- Productive Engagement of Older Adults
- Profession, Social Work
- Program Development and Grant Writing
- Promoting Smart Decarceration as a Grand Challenge
- Psychiatric Rehabilitation
- Psychoanalysis and Psychodynamic Theory
- Psychoeducation
- Psychometrics
- Psychopathology and Social Work Practice
- Psychopharmacology and Social Work Practice
- Psychosocial Framework
- Psychosocial Intervention with Women
- Psychotherapy and Social Work
- Qualitative Research
- Race and Racism
- Readmission Policies in Europe
- Redefining Police Interactions with People Experiencing Me...
- Rehabilitation
- Religiously Affiliated Agencies
- Reproductive Health
- Research
- Research Ethics
- Restorative Justice
- Risk Assessment in Child Protection Services
- Risk Management in Social Work
- Rural Social Work in China
- Rural Social Work Practice
- School Social Work
- School Violence
- School-Based Delinquency Prevention
- Services and Programs for Pregnant and Parenting Youth
- Severe and Persistent Mental Illness: Adults
- Sexual and Gender Minority Immigrants, Refugees, and Asylu...
- Sexual Assault
- Single-System Research Designs
- Social Development
- Social Insurance and Social Justice
- Social Intervention Research
- Social Justice and Social Work
- Social Movements
- Social Planning
- Social Policy
- Social Policy in Denmark
- Social Security in the United States (OASDHI)
- Social Work and Islam
- Social Work and Social Welfare in East, West, and Central ...
- Social Work and Social Welfare in Europe
- Social Work Education and Research
- Social Work Leadership
- Social Work Luminaries: Luminaries Contributing to the Cla...
- Social Work Luminaries: Luminaries contributing to the fou...
- Social Work Luminaries: Luminaries Who Contributed to Soci...
- Social Work Regulation
- Social Work Research Methods
- Social Work with Interpreters
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Strategic Planning
- Strengths Perspective
- Strengths-Based Models in Social Work
- Suicide
- Supplemental Security Income
- Survey Research
- Sustainability: Creating Social Responses to a Changing En...
- Syrian Refugees in Turkey
- Systematic Review Methods
- Task-Centered Practice
- Technology Adoption in Social Work Education
- Technology for Social Work Interventions
- Technology, Human Relationships, and Human Interaction
- Technology in Social Work
- Terminal Illness
- Terrorism
- The Impact of Systemic Racism on Latinxs’ Experiences with...
- Transdisciplinary Science
- Translational Science and Social Work
- Transnational Perspectives in Social Work
- Transtheoretical Model of Change
- Trauma
- Trauma-Informed Care
- Triangulation
- Tribal child welfare practice in the United States
- Unions
- United States, History of Social Welfare in the
- Universal Basic Income
- Veteran Services
- Vicarious Trauma Redefining PTSD
- Victim Services
- Violence
- Virtual Reality and Social Work
- Welfare State Reform in France
- Welfare State Theory
- Women and Macro Social Work Practice
- Women's Health Care
- Work and Family in the German Welfare State
- Workfare
- Workforce Development of Social Workers Pre- and Post-Empl...
- Working with Non-Voluntary and Mandated Clients
- Young and Adolescent Lesbians
- Youth at Risk
- Youth Services