Assessment, Treatment, and Prevention of Suicidal Behavior (PDF)

Current and comprehensive information concerning the assessment and
treatment of suicidal persons and the prevention of suicidal
behavior

The eighth leading cause of death in the United States and the
second leading cause among U.S. teens, suicide is unique in being
self-inflicted and is, as such, often preventable. By assessing the
risk of suicide accurately, providing effective treatment according
to this risk, and implementing strategies against suicidal urges,
mental health professionals can successfully guide their clients
away from this senseless taking of life.

Assessment, Treatment, and Prevention of Suicidal
Behavior provides the most current and comprehensive source of
information, guidelines, and case studies for working with clients
at risk of suicide. It offers clinicians, counselors, and other
mental health professionals a practical toolbox on three main areas
of interest:

* Screening and Assessment covers empirically based assessment
techniques and how they can define dimensions of vulnerability and
measure the risk of self-destructive behavior. Authors discuss
research on the use of each screening instrument, guidelines and
suggestions for using the instrument in practice, and a case study
illustrating its application.

* Intervention and Treatment compares several different
approaches for structuring psychotherapy with suicidal clients.
Each author covers a psychotherapy system, its application to
suicidal clients, and a case study of its real-world use.

* Suicide and Violence explores the relationship between suicidal
individuals and violence, covering suicide in specific contexts
such as school violence, police confrontations, and terrorist
violence. This section also includes a discussion of the increased
risk of suicide in our more insecure and violent world, as well as
how topromote coping styles for these new anxieties.

While addressed mainly to psychologists, social workers, and other
mental health professionals for use in serving their clients, as
well as students of psychology, Assessment, Treatment, and
Prevention of Suicidal Behavior is also an accessible and
valuable resource for educators, school counselors, and others in
related fields.