Resource Tag: LOS ANGELES SUICIDE PREVENTION CENTER

Edwin S. Shneidman was a father of contemporary suicidology & his work reflected an intensive study of suicide. His contributions are some of the essential studies in the field. The works can be divided into 5 parts: definitional & theoretical; suicide notes; administrative & programmatic; clinical & community; & psychological & postvention. This paper explicates […]

Published in “Back to the Future: Refocusing the Image of Suicide,” ed. by J L McIntosh

This article discusses how the institution of the Suicide Prevention Centre (SPC) came to be. The author seeks to indicate what the goals of the SPC are, & how it attempts to acheive these aims. He also describes the operations & functions of the SPC. Clinical aspects, community aspects, & research aspects of SPCs are […]

This presentation notes that one activity that distinguished the Los Angeles Suicide Prevention Center was the presence of invited fellows. They interacted with clinical staff & stimulated serious discussion about human self destruction. The early 1960s witnessed many resulting contributions from these fellows to the developing discipline of suicidology. The guiding principle of this aspect […]

The first part of this chapter briefly reviews the changes & the current practices at the Los Angeles Suicide Prevention Center. The second part focuses on the clinical functioning of a telephone crisis service, presenting examples of the types of people who use such a service & the demands that are made upon the centre […]

This chapter reports on a study of the Survivors’ After-Suicide Program held at the Los Angeles Suicide Prevention Centre. 60 program participants were compared to 22 controls. Comparison of the ratings of levels of feelings for the 2 groups within the first 4 weeks after death indicated no significant differences between the groups. Feelings of […]

This chapter provides an historical view of psychological autopsies & highlights some of the findings generated by this form of research, paying particular attention to significant findings, methodological innovations, alternative definitions of the psychological autopsy method, & implications for predicting or averting suicides. It recommends standards & criteria for future psychological autopsy studies & briefly […]

An exploratory study was conducted of all pregnant women between the ages of 15 & 45 who committed suicide in LA County during the years 1968-69 (n=12). Relatives of 7 victims were interviewed. A matched group of 7 women who had given birth was used for comparison. The PPS was used to collect data. Findings […]

A suicide prediction scale was developed by comparing surviving 465 currently suicidal persons who remain alive & 52 currently sucidal who go on to commit, selected from Los Angeles Suicide Prevention Center files. Tabulations were derived as to the breakdown of age & sex subgroups. There was no significant difference in the age/sex distribution of […]

The objectives, rationale & operation of an inexpensive, anti-suicide program for high-risk, chronically suicidal persons is described. The Continuing Relationship Maintenance Program is based on advances in theory & practice, including new developments in the training & employment of paraprofessionals & volunteers. This experimental program is being carried out within a methodological framework designed to […]

Describes an open-ended Drop-In Group formed to meet the needs some crisis line callers have for caring, concern, & companionship. The characteristics of the group, the patients referrred to the group, effect on the suicide prevention center, therapist responsibilities, & evaluation data are outlined. (LH)

Provides a brief account of 2 long-term psychotherapy groups initiated by the L.A. Suicide Prevention Center. 2 problems brought into focus by the group therapy program, changes in the philosophy & objectives of the center & labelling issues, are also discussed. (LH)

Discusses the historical development of suicide prevention centres, most of which use a combination of telephone & referral services to aid those in crisis. Standards of care & evaluation of effectiveness are reviewed & the author suggests that identification of high risk cases among attempted suicides may be more manageable & more fruitful than trying […]

This chapter contains samples of several suicide rating scales for assessment of ideation, hopelessness, intent, risk-rescue and the Los Angeles Suicide Prevention Center scale.

The first drop-in clinic for potential suicides was organized at the LASPC Norman Farberow. The accepting attitude & offer of immediate, supportive group therapy has been successful in preventing emotional deterioration in most of the clients. (NBB)

A proposed suicide intervention model is contrasted with the goals & methods of existing suicide prevention & crisis counseling services. The issues of an appropriate death, premature death, an ambivalent attraction to death, & continued living in the face of chronically low life satisfaction are discussed.

A random sample of Los Angeles Suicide Prevention Center patients was selected for follow-up about two years after their prior contact. Of 184 patients located & interviewed, 16 had died & 9 had committed suicide. The deaths were studied in depth by interviewing survivors (by means of a psychological autopsy). Results uncovered 2 apparent suicides […]

This 2-column article from the August 17, 1962 issue of Time briefly describes the Los Angeles Suicide Prevention Center, which was founded by Drs. Edwin S. Schneidman & Norman L. Farberow in 1958, & explores some general truths about suicide. (NBB)

After a brief review of past suicide research, indirect suicide is discussed in terms of the premise that self-destruction can vary on several continua at the same time. Two variables–intention & chronology of impact–encompass most behavior classified as self-destructive. Explanations are presented of a few variables examined in experiments conducted to define similarities, differences & […]