Main description:

Attempted suicide is the main risk factor for suicide. The Attempted Suicide Short Intervention Program (ASSIP) described in this manual is an innovative brief therapy that has proven in published clinical trials to be highly effective in reducing the risk of further attempts. ASSIP is the result of the authors' extensive practical experience in the treatment of suicidal individuals. The emphasis is on the therapeutic alliance with the suicidal patient, based on an initial patient-oriented narrative interview. The four therapy sessions are followed by continuing contact with patients by means of regular letters.This clearly structured manual starts with an overview of suicide and suicide prevention, followed by a practical, step-by-step description of this highly structured treatment. It includes numerous checklists, handouts, and standardized letters for use by health professionals in various clinical settings.

Contents:

1 Introduction2 Suicide and Attempted Suicide2.1 Definitions2.2 Epidemiology: Suicide; Attempted Suicide; Risk and Protective Factors2.3 Models of Suicidal Behavior: Medical; Biological; Sociocultural; Psychological2.4 Prevention of Suicidal Behavior: Universal, Selective, and Indicated Strategies2.5 Attempted Suicide - Psychological Treatments: Problems;Outreach Interventions; Cognitive Behavioral; Emotion Regulation2.6 Pharmacotherapy2.7 Conclusions3 ASSIP Therapist Manual3.1 Therapeutic Concepts in ASSIP: Building a Therapeutic Alliance; Long-Term Anchoring;Suicide Is an Action, Not an Illness; Narrative Interviewing; What Patients Tell Us;The Suicidal Mode3.2 ASSIP - The Basics: Objectives and Treatment Settings; Therapy Process Factors inASSIP; ASSIP Step by Step3.3 ASSIP Therapy Sessions3.4 First Session: Conducting a Narrative Interview3.5 Second Session: Video Playback3.6 Third Session: Formulating the Patterns Leading to the Suicidal Crisis3.7 Fourth Session (Optional): Reexposure3.8 Ongoing Contact by Regular Letters3.9 Difficulties That May Arise in the Practical use of ASSIP3.10 Future ProspectsReferencesAppendices:Information Sheet for PatientsInformation Sheet for Health ProfessionalsHomework Text: "Suicide Is Not a Rational Act"Assessment of Suicide RiskSuicide Status Form (SSF-III)Consent Form for Video RecordingCase Examples 1 and 2Standardized Letters 1-6