Adolescents with suicidal behaviours: A qualitative study about the assessment of Inpatient Service and Transition to Community
Authors: Simões Rosa Maria Pereira , dos Santos José Carlos Pereira , Martinho Maria Júlia Costa Marques 
Published: October 2020

Accessible Summary

What is known on the subject?

Only a small number of adolescents with suicidal behaviour receives any follow‐up treatment.

The implementation of recurrent behaviour prevention strategies is crucial in the period following suicide attempts and should take into account adolescents' opinions to be effective and congruent.

What does this paper add to existing knowledge?

This paper shows that the 33 adolescent participants in the study identified the following protective factors of recurrent suicidal behaviour: family, friends and other trusted persons, as well as the self and newly learned strategies.

The adolescents described their family as a constant presence and reported wishing that their parents maintain their current family support.

Psychological support, health professionals and occupational activities are what the adolescents value most about hospitalization, and some criticisms are related to the environment, activities and health professionals.

The adolescents also emphasize the need to maintain contact with the nurses after hospital discharge and make suggestions for service improvement related to the environment and the interventions implemented.

What are the implications for practice?

Knowing the protective factors of recurrent suicidal behaviours, perception of the impact of the intervention, the expectation of future support and healthcare follow‐up is crucial for adapting suicide prevention strategies to be put in place by health services for better quality care delivery.

The results obtained allow us to define as specific implications the implementation of psychoeducational intervention directed at the adolescent's family with suicidal behaviour during hospitalization and the definition of strategies for maintaining contact and follow‐up with the adolescent after discharge.

This study emphasizes the need to reinforce training in suicidology for all health professionals for the improvement of clinical practice.

Introduction

The prevention of recurrent suicidal behaviours in adolescents should consider their perceptions, needs and expectations.

Aim/question

To identify the protective factors of recurrent suicidal behaviours in adolescents; To describe the family and the expectations for future involvement; To know the most important aspects of hospitalization and discuss expectations of nursing care follow‐up after hospital discharge.

Method

A descriptive, qualitative and exploratory study was carried out in a sample of 33 adolescents with suicidal behaviours. Data were collected through semi‐structured interviews, and the data processing used the content analysis technique.

Results

Findings arising from data allowed identifying the protective factors: family, friends and other trusted persons. During the hospitalization, the adolescents reinforce the knowledge about themselves and the newly learnt coping strategies. Psychological support and health professionals are what they value most about hospitalization and emphasize the need to maintain contact with the nurses after discharge.

Discussion

Knowing the needs and expectations of adolescents with suicidal behaviour will make nursing psychotherapeutic interventions more effective and congruent in this vulnerable group.

Implications for Practice

Ensuring psychoeducational intervention to the families of adolescents with suicidal behaviour and continuity of care after discharge, and reinforcing the training in suicidology for all health professionals.