Clergy as Suicide Prevention Gatekeepers. (June 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mason, Karen; Geist, Monica; Kuo, Richard; Marshall, Day; Wines, James D.
• Is Part Of: Journal of pastoral care & counseling. Volume 75:Number 2(2021)
• Page Start: 84
• Page End: 91
• Publication Date: 2021-06
• Subjects: Clergy -- suicide -- gatekeeper -- risk identification; Pastoral theology -- Periodicals; Pastoral care -- Periodicals; Pastoral counseling -- Periodicals; 253.5
• DOI: 10.1177/1542305020974997
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1542-3050

Abstract

801 U.S. Catholic, Jewish and Protestant clergy reported on their suicide gatekeeping activities. Using vignettes, they identified suicide risk and selected interventions for three risk levels. Two-thirds of the sample who provide counseling reported at least one contact from a suicidal person per year. Clergy were significantly more concurrent with experts in identifying risk and selecting interventions with high risk but deviated more from the experts with low and medium risk. Most reported needing more training.