Important Attributes of Potential “Helpers” in Suicide and Crisis Situations

This paper explores public perception of potential “helpers” in crisis & suicide situations. 257 subjects (predominantly married females, mean age 35) from various public sectors were asked to rate 8 “helper” groups on 10 attributes contained in a questionnaire, one finding significant to suicide was that professional groups were not rated as highly as natural support systems (clergy, relatives, friends), suggesting the need for information & resources for this group.(NBB)