Citation

Bullock M, Nadeau L, Renaud J. J. Can. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry 2012; 21(3): 186-193.

Affiliation

Masters Candidate, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

22876264

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Youth suicide attempters are high-risk for suicide. Many have untreated mental disorders and are not receiving services. It is crucial to understand potential influences associated with service use. Spirituality/religion are one influence in youths' mental health service trajectories. This study explored youths' experiences of spirituality/religion as it relates to their help-seeking the year before their suicide attempt. METHOD: Fifteen youth (aged 14-18) who made a suicide attempt(s) one to two years prior were consecutively recruited through the Depressive Disorders Program of a psychiatric hospital and interviewed using a mixed-methods design, including an adapted psychological autopsy method. RESULTS: THREE THEMES EMERGED: religious community members acted as a bridge, step, or provider to mental health services; religious/spiritual discourses were encountered within services; and many youths reported changes in spirituality/religious beliefs the year before their suicide attempt. CONCLUSIONS: Spirituality/religion can have a role in these youths' service trajectories. How this confers protection or challenges needs to be clarified. Our findings can inform policies supporting training religious leaders about suicide intervention to foster coordination with mental health services, and service-providers in judiciously approaching spiritual/religious themes in suicide prevention.

Language: en