Experiences of Brief Admission From the Perspective of Family and Significant Others
Condition: Suicidal Ideation; Self Injurious Behavior Without Suicidal Intent; Self-Harm, Deliberate
MeSH terms: Suicidal Ideation; Self-Injurious Behavior
Study type: Observational

Summary: 
      As a result of a randomized controlled trial (NCT02985047) BA is continuously offered to
      persons with self-harm at risk for suicide in Skåne, Sweden. This qualitative inductive study
      aims to provide experiences among family members, carers and significant others of Brief
      Admission by self-referral for self-harming and suicidal persons based on individual
      semi-structured interviews. Participants will be identified through suggestion from persons
      with an active BA contract. Interviews, estimated to last 30-60 minutes, will be analyzed by
      a phenomenological hermeneutic method or by content analysis depending on richness and depth
      in the interviews. Findings from this study will be published.
    

Detailed description: 
      As a result of the randomized controlled trial evaluating BA in Skåne (NCT02985047), BA is
      since January 2019, continuously offered to persons with self-harm at risk for suicide in
      Skåne, Sweden. Parallel to the clinical trial qualitative interview studies have been
      performed on the experiences of BA, with participants during the pilot phase of the trial and
      among the most severely ill persons and from the viewpoint of psychiatric staff. The present
      study aims to complement the above-mentioned studies with analysis of real-life experiences
      of BA from the perspective of loved ones to persons with current access to BA. This is
      important since the persons close to those suffering from recurrent self-harm and suicidal
      ideation play an essential role in times of crisis and may beneficially contribute to
      motivation as well as effects of provided care.

      In this qualitative inductive study individual semi-structured interviews will be held with
      family members, carers and significant others of persons with an active BA contract, who has
      given informed consent to participate. To identify potential informants, persons with an
      active BA contract, who have used BA within the last three months, at the wards in Lund,
      Malmö, Helsingborg or Kristianstad will be contacted and asked about contact information
      (name and telephone number) to a person close to them who may be contacted regarding
      inclusion in the present study. A variation of contract length (minimum one month since first
      signed contract) is strived for. The number of interviews will depend on the number of active
      contracts at the included wards and the proportion of those where potential participants may
      be contacted and who subsequently consent to participate, but with a maximum of 25
      interviews. Interviews are estimated to be 30-60 minutes, and will be conducted in a calm
      place, chosen by the participant. Interviews will be performed by doctoral students in
      psychiatry and supervised by a senior researcher with experience of psychiatry and
      qualitative research. Interviews will be transcribed and analyzed by a phenomenological
      hermeneutic method or by content analysis depending on richness and depth in the interviews.
      Findings from this study will be published.
    

Intervention name(s): Semi-structured interviews
Intervention type(s): Other
Intervention description(s): Each participant will attend a 30-60 minute semi-structured interview conducted by the CI
Observational model: Other
Time perspective: Other
Sampling method: Probability Sample
Study population: 
        - Family member, carer or significant other as defined by persons with access to Brief
        Admission by self-referral through one of the psychiatric departments in Skåne, Sweden
        (Lund, Malmö, Helsingborg or Kristianstad).