TY - JOUR PY - 2024// TI - Preferences of U.S. veterans making and receiving caring cards: a peer approach to recovery-oriented suicide prevention JO - Practice innovations (Washington, D.C.) A1 - Chalker, Samantha A. A1 - Pozun, Cara T. A1 - Chang, Cindy J. A1 - Ehret, Blaire C. A1 - Treichler, Emily B. H. SP - 77 EP - 85 VL - 9 IS - 1 N2 - Caring Cards is a peer-adaptation of caring contacts for suicide prevention, in which people with lived experience of suicidal thoughts and behaviors create handmade cards for peers currently experiencing suicidal thoughts and/or behaviors. The present study used data from a feasibility/acceptability study of Caring Cards at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center to explore preferences for this type of recovery-oriented suicide prevention intervention. Participants were 55 Veterans with a past (card makers, n=21) or current (card recipients, n=34) high-risk indication for suicide. Card makers participated in a 3-month weekly 60-120-minute group therapy to create cards. Card recipients received these cards monthly for six months. Survey and interview data were collected post-intervention. Pragmatic analysis of interview responses revealed preferences related to participation length, card content and frequency, group formatting, and accessibility. Among both card makers (76.2%-85.7%) and card recipients (94.1%), a majority recommended offering this intervention for Veterans who have previously or are currently struggling with mental health concerns. Over 60% of card makers wanted receive cards and 52.9% of card recipients wanted to make cards. These data further support the importance of lived experience voices in intervention development. Caring Cards, an intervention specifically focusing on improving well-being, meaning-making, and fulfillment in one's life, regards Veteran preferences as salient in the future implementation of a recovery-oriented approach to suicide prevention.
Language: en
LA - en SN - 2377-889X UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/pri0000230 ID - ref1 ER -