Clergy Referral of Suicidal Individuals: A Qualitative Study
- Resource Type
- Authors
- Rebekah Good; Pablo Polischuk; Karen Mason; James D. Wines; Elizabeth Bousa; Raymond Pendleton
- Source
- Journal of Pastoral Care & Counseling: Advancing theory and professional practice through scholarly and reflective publications. 65:1-11
- Subject
- Adult
Male
Religion and Psychology
Suicide Prevention
medicine.medical_specialty
Referral
Interprofessional Relations
Pastoral Care
Professional Role
Protestantism
Surveys and Questionnaires
Pastoral care
Humans
Medicine
Interpersonal Relations
Spirituality
Psychiatry
Referral and Consultation
business.industry
Risk identification
General Medicine
Middle Aged
Mental health
Suicidal behavior
National study
Female
Clergy
business
Qualitative research
- Language
- ISSN
- 2167-776X
1542-3050
In a national study, 25% of help-seekers contacted clergy; suicidal behavior was one of the significant predictors for making contact. Clergy have been found to refer 10% of help-seekers to mental health providers. This qualitative study explored the referral practices of 15 northeastern Mainline and Evangelical Protestant clergy when contacted by suicidal individuals; all referred to mental health providers. Participants reported low confidence with risk identification and provided moving examples of pastoral care.