Suicide Prevention Contracting: The Pitfalls, Perils, and Seven Safer Alternatives

by Stephen J. Edwards PhD

Overview

Suicide Prevention Contracting: The Pitfalls, Perils, and Seven Safer Alternatives demonstrates that suicide prevention contracting, a widely adopted but little-understood form of suicide prevention, is almost wholly counterproductive and potentially dangerous for both patients and the clinician attempting to assist them. Edwards and Goj make a compelling case for this alarming pronouncement and offer seven alternative procedures.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780765709967
Publisher:	Aronson, Jason Inc.
Publication date:	12/11/2013
Pages:	236
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Stephen J. Edwards, BSW, PhD, (University of Western Australia) is a current research (honorary) fellow at the University of Western Australia, senior mental health clinician (senior clinical social worker), and child and adolescent mental health service manager with Western Australian Mental Health Services. Christopher Goj, MA, (University of Auckland) is the former staff writer and program manager of suicide prevention education with Lifeline Aotearoa (New Zealand).

Table of Contents

Preface Acknowledgments Symbols and Abbreviations Introduction: Evidence Base behind this Book Part 1: Current Understanding of Suicide Prevention Contracting Chapter 1: A personal journey with SPC Chapter 2: Historical review Chapter 3: Definitions Chapter 4: Causes of current concern Part 2: A New Understanding of Suicide Prevention Contracting Chapter 5: Profile of contemporary SPC Chapter 6: The anatomy of contemporary SPC Part 3: The Potential-to-Cause-Harm Profile of Suicide Prevention Contracting Chapter 7: How SPC can compromise treatment Chapter 8: The role of no suicide assurances in clinical practice Chapter 9: Contraindications for SPC Part 4: Alternatives to Suicide Prevention Contracting Chapter 10: Seven alternatives to SPC Conclusion Frequently Asked Questions Appendices: Teaching Tools Useful links Index About the Author

Editorial Reviews

As Edwards and Goj show with both clinical and scholarly acumen, ‘no-suicide’ contracts are both ill-advised and distressingly common. We need alternatives—clinically useful and research supported alternatives—and these authors provide several.

Thomas Joiner

In this era of evidence-based suicide prevention it is surprising that the ‘no-suicide’ contract has endured. This new book—the first devoted solely to the ‘no-suicide’ contract—discusses why it should not be used and suggests seven safer substitutes. The book is a must for all those who work with suicidal clients, for those who supervise them, and for those in training.

Annette Beautrais

Edwards and Goj offer a comprehensive review of the research and problems related to ‘no suicide contracts.’ They offer a variety of clinically viable alternatives to help mental health professionals work with suicidal patients.

John D. Gavazzi

The aim of Suicide Prevention Contracting: The Pitfalls, Perils, and Seven Safer Alternatives is commendable: to caution mental health professionals against unthinkingly using nosuicide contracts. Authors Stephen J. Edwards and Christopher Goj firmly believe that nosuicide contracts are unhelpful, actually compromising treatment because, rather than reinforcing the clinician–client relationship, they erode the empathy and compassion that clinicians offer clients. Thus, this book not only condemns no suicide contracts as unhelpful but also warns that such contracts may go so far as to cause harm.. . .Edwards and Goj provide valid points and pull data from an impressively large sample.. . .[T]his book. .. [would] be. .. useful as a reference for clinicians.

PsycCRITIQUES