Doctoral Dissertations

Date of Award

8-2000

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major

Education

Major Professor

Maria Peterson

Committee Members

Tricia McClam, Jack S. Ellison, William A. Poppen

Abstract

The purpose for conducting this survey research study was to assess the incidence of client suicide and its impact personally and professionally on Health Service Providers in Psychology. Results were compared to a study completed in 1988, using the same sampling and data collection proceduresAll participants were asked to complete a Response to Patient's Suicide instrument and the Impact of Event Scale. In addition, the present study asked participants two open-ended questions related to resolution of grief following the suicide of a client.

Five-percent (787) of the individuals listed in the 1996 National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology were randomly chosen to participate in the study. The response rate was 47% with 24% of the respondents reporting a client suicide. A second group of 50 members listed in the Register were randomly chosen to verify whether the initial survey sample was representative of those listed in the Register. The verification group had a response rate of 68% with a 39% incidence rate of client suicideThe two groups were not significantly different in ages, sex of therapist, amount of postgraduate training, and incidence of client suicide.

In addition to the finding that 24% of the Year 2000 sample respondents had experienced a client suicide, data revealed no significant differences in age, years of practice, sex of therapist, and amount of training between those professionals who had experienced a client suicide and those who had not. Responses on the Impact of Event Scale by those who had experienced a client suicide revealed five variables that had moderate to high impact on their practice: increased attention to legal aspects, increased focus on suicide cues, increased concern with death issues, increased use of collegial consultation, and more conservative record keeping. Two variables had a moderate to high impact on personal lives: guilt and intrusive thoughts of suicide. Theme analysis of responses to two questions related to grief resolution indicated that consultation with colleagues, contact with the client's family, and knowledge of good work were the three categories that were most helpful to health service providers who had experienced a client suicide.

There were significant differences between the 1988 and 2000 samples on mean age, sex of therapist, years of practice, and amount of postgraduate training. However, there was no significant difference between these two samples in terms of those who reported experiencing a client suicide. When the two samples were compared, there were significant differences on two variables which relate to impact on practice: increased use of collegial consultation and more conservative record keeping. There were no significant differences on variables related to impact on personal lives, intensity of impact, or persistence of impact.

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