Depression stigma and management of suicidal callers: a cross-sectional survey of crisis hotline counselors
Abstract Background Crisis hotlines play a key role in suicide prevention worldwide following different approaches regarding risk assessment and management of suicidality. This is to our knowledge the first study investigating depression stigma in crisis hotline counselors. The association between s...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2019-11-01
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| Series: | BMC Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12888-019-2325-y |
| _version_ | 1818242572390236160 |
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| author | Ines Heinz Roland Mergl Ulrich Hegerl Christine Rummel-Kluge Elisabeth Kohls |
| author_facet | Ines Heinz Roland Mergl Ulrich Hegerl Christine Rummel-Kluge Elisabeth Kohls |
| author_sort | Ines Heinz |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Crisis hotlines play a key role in suicide prevention worldwide following different approaches regarding risk assessment and management of suicidality. This is to our knowledge the first study investigating depression stigma in crisis hotline counselors. The association between stigma and self-rated knowledge and their exploration of suicide risk and consecutive management of suicidal callers is being investigated. Methods Data on depression stigma, self-rated knowledge, self-reported exploration and management of suicidality was collected from 893 counselors working for the German crisis hotline. Stigma in counselors had been compared to matched population sample (1002). Results Crisis hotline counselors reported significantly lower depression stigma compared to the general population. Depression stigma and age associations differed in both samples. The reported exploration of suicide risk in callers differed depending on the self-rated knowledge about suicidality and depending on the personal depression stigma, but not the reported consecutive management. Conclusion Compared to the general population, crisis hotline counselors seem to have fewer stigmatizing attitudes toward depression. Attitudes and self-rated knowledge seem to influence the confidence in counselors regarding the exploration of suicidal callers, but not the consecutive management. The results indicate that a profound training and hands-on information about depression and suicide risk seem to be essential. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T13:47:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-453169de7ea24c22a979ffd6a1935787 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-244X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T13:47:22Z |
| publishDate | 2019-11-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-453169de7ea24c22a979ffd6a19357872022-12-22T00:22:38ZengBMCBMC Psychiatry1471-244X2019-11-0119111010.1186/s12888-019-2325-yDepression stigma and management of suicidal callers: a cross-sectional survey of crisis hotline counselorsInes Heinz0Roland Mergl1Ulrich Hegerl2Christine Rummel-Kluge3Elisabeth Kohls4Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, University LeipzigBundeswehr University Munich, Institute of Clinical Psychology and PsychotherapyGerman Alliance Against DepressionDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, University LeipzigDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, University LeipzigAbstract Background Crisis hotlines play a key role in suicide prevention worldwide following different approaches regarding risk assessment and management of suicidality. This is to our knowledge the first study investigating depression stigma in crisis hotline counselors. The association between stigma and self-rated knowledge and their exploration of suicide risk and consecutive management of suicidal callers is being investigated. Methods Data on depression stigma, self-rated knowledge, self-reported exploration and management of suicidality was collected from 893 counselors working for the German crisis hotline. Stigma in counselors had been compared to matched population sample (1002). Results Crisis hotline counselors reported significantly lower depression stigma compared to the general population. Depression stigma and age associations differed in both samples. The reported exploration of suicide risk in callers differed depending on the self-rated knowledge about suicidality and depending on the personal depression stigma, but not the reported consecutive management. Conclusion Compared to the general population, crisis hotline counselors seem to have fewer stigmatizing attitudes toward depression. Attitudes and self-rated knowledge seem to influence the confidence in counselors regarding the exploration of suicidal callers, but not the consecutive management. The results indicate that a profound training and hands-on information about depression and suicide risk seem to be essential.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12888-019-2325-yDepression stigmaSuicide preventionHelplineCrisis hotlineCounselor |
| spellingShingle | Ines Heinz Roland Mergl Ulrich Hegerl Christine Rummel-Kluge Elisabeth Kohls Depression stigma and management of suicidal callers: a cross-sectional survey of crisis hotline counselors BMC Psychiatry Depression stigma Suicide prevention Helpline Crisis hotline Counselor |
| title | Depression stigma and management of suicidal callers: a cross-sectional survey of crisis hotline counselors |
| title_full | Depression stigma and management of suicidal callers: a cross-sectional survey of crisis hotline counselors |
| title_fullStr | Depression stigma and management of suicidal callers: a cross-sectional survey of crisis hotline counselors |
| title_full_unstemmed | Depression stigma and management of suicidal callers: a cross-sectional survey of crisis hotline counselors |
| title_short | Depression stigma and management of suicidal callers: a cross-sectional survey of crisis hotline counselors |
| title_sort | depression stigma and management of suicidal callers a cross sectional survey of crisis hotline counselors |
| topic | Depression stigma Suicide prevention Helpline Crisis hotline Counselor |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12888-019-2325-y |
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