Public Involvement in Suicide Prevention: Understanding and Strengthening lay Responses to Distress

This study examined what the suicidal process looks like from the point of view of relatives & friends to gain insight into the complex & difficult judgments people have to make when trying to support a distressed individual. Qualitative methods were used to build detailed pictures of 15-20 suicide victims, aged 18-34. Interviews focused on the family & social network of the deceased, the ways in which significant others interpreted & responded to his/her distress, the potential for intervention that may have existed within the lay network, & the knowlege, skills, & other resources that would have helped members to support the distressed individual more effectively. (52 refs.)