Safety Planning Intervention Training Among Early Career Mental Health Professionals: Perception of Self-Efficacy, Usefulness and Feasibility.

INTRODUCTION: In 2021, in Argentina there were 3,639 deaths by suicide, equivalent to one death every three hours. Evidence indicates that brief suicide preventive interventions in emergency services, such as the Safety Planning Intervention (SPI), effectively reduce future suicidal ideation and attempts in both adults and adolescents. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the perception of self-efficacy, and the feasibility and usefulness of a training in SPI in early career mental health professionals. METHOD: Sixty-nine early career mental health professionals from Buenos Aires participated in a 3-hour SPI training. Through an online survey, measurements were taken in three times: before and after the training and 8-10 weeks after the training. RESULTS: All participants completed the pre- and post-training measures, and 43 of them completed the follow-up survey. Post-training measures showed an increase in self-efficacy, maintaining the effect at 8-10 weeks. The SPI was found useful and feasible to be implemented in clinical care. More than half of the participants reported having used the SPI during follow-up. CONCLUSION: Results suggest that training in SPI is associated with an increased perception of self-efficacy of early career mental health professionals; this is maintained after 2 months post-training. In addition, the intervention is perceived as feasible, acceptable and useful for professionals in training.

Predictors of short- and long-term recurrence of suicidal behavior in borderline personality disorder.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the incidence of suicidal outcomes and risk factors for short- and long-term recurrence of suicidal behavior (SB) among high-risk borderline personality disorder (BPD) patients during a 24-month prospective follow-up period. METHODS: A multicenter prospective cohort study was designed to compare data obtained from 136 patients admitted to the emergency department for current suicidal ideation (SI) or a recent suicide attempt (SA). Subjects were clinically evaluated and monitored for a new SA or suicide. RESULTS: The incidence of a new SA was 25.63 events/100 persons-year, and one patient died by suicide. Child sexual abuse (CSA) was the only significant predictor throughout the complete follow-up period. The absence of prior psychiatric treatment predicts the recurrence of SB in the first 6 months of follow-up. Patient age, poor psychosocial functioning before hospitalization, age at first SA, and having multiple suicide attempts increased risk of SB recurrence at the long-term period (24th months). In addition, there was an interaction between CSA and poor psychosocial functioning that increased risk of SB. CONCLUSION: The risk of recurrence was higher during the first 6 months. Risk factors at 6 and 24 months vary. These findings are important for implementing suicide strategies.

Differences between female suicidal patients with family history of suicide attempt and family history of completed suicide.

BACKGROUND: Family history of suicidal behavior and suicide are both risk factors for suicide. However, the effects of family history of suicide versus suicide attempts on patient suicidal behavior remain unclear. The aim of the present study was to understand if family history of suicide as compared to family history of suicide attempts or no family history of suicidal behavior evidences different associations with suicidal behavior among psychiatric patients. METHOD: Participants included 157 female patients between the ages of 18 and 65years admitted at the Dr. Braulio A. Moyano Neuropsychiatric Women's Hospital. RESULTS: Seventy-nine patients (50.3%) reported no family history of suicidal behavior (NFHSB), while 78 patients (49.7%) reported a family history of suicidal behavior. Specifically, 41 patients (26.1%) reported a family history of suicide attempt (FHSA) and 37 patients (23.6%) reported a family history of suicide (FHS). These groups showed significant differences between family history of psychopathology and number of previous suicide attempts. Patients with an FHSA were more likely to present with a greater number of previous suicide attempts as compared to patients with NFHSB and FHS. CONCLUSION: There is an association between the number of suicide attempts and family history of suicide attempts in female patients hospitalized for suicidal behavior.