@article{ref1,
title="The effects of Australia's first residential peer-support Suicide Prevention and Recovery Centre (SPARC)",
journal="Crisis",
year="2024",
author="Oostermeijer, Sanne and Morgan, Amy and Cheesmond, Natalie and Green, Rachel and Reavley, Nicola",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="AIM: This paper reports preliminary evidence of the impacts of Australia's first residential peer-support service for people at risk of suicide. <br><br>METHODS: Psychological distress was measured preintervention, postintervention, and after 3 months and analyzed using paired t tests. Interviews were held postintervention and were analyzed using thematic analysis. <br><br>RESULTS: Psychological distress significantly improved from preintervention to postintervention (n = 16, d = 1.77) and at follow-up (n = 5, d = 1.12). Interviews (n = 10) indicated that participants experienced improvements in mental well-being and feelings of connectedness, respite, and confidence to engage with other services. The peer-support workers were key. Some participants felt that the location was too remote, too little information was given, and a longer stay would have been preferable. Limitations: The study did not include a control group, the sample was relatively small, and participants may have been subject to socially desirable answers. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that residential peer-support services potentially offer a valuable alternative to conventional inpatient treatment for people at risk of suicide.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0227-5910",
doi="10.1027/0227-5910/a000939",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1027/0227-5910/a000939"
}