Mechanisms of brief contact interventions in clinical populations: a systematic review

BMC Psychiatry

Research Article

Greg Carter¹  Matthew J. Spittal²  Jane Pirkis²  Nav Kapur³  Katrina Witt⁴  Allison Milner⁴ 

[1] Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia;Centre for Mental Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, 3010, Melbourne, VIC, Australia;Centre for Suicide Prevention, Centre for Mental Health and Safety, Institute of Brain Behaviour and Mental Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK;Work, Health and Wellbeing Unit, Centre for Population Health Research, School of Health and Social Development, Deakin University, 3125, Burwood, VIC, Australia;

关键词: Brief contact interventions;    Self-harm;    Suicide;    Social support;    Help seeking;    Postcard;    Letters;    Phone calls;    Emergency department;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12888-016-0896-4

 received in 2015-11-22, accepted in 2016-05-31,  发布年份 2016

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundBrief Contact Interventions (BCIs) have been of increasing interest to suicide prevention clinicians, researchers and policy makers. However, there has been no systematic assessment into the mechanisms underpinning BCIs. The aim of the current paper is to provide a systematic review of the proposed mechanisms underpinning BCIs across trial studies.MethodA systematic review was conducted of trials using BCIs (post-discharge telephone contacts; emergency or crisis cards; and postcard or letter contacts) for suicide or self-harm. Following PRISMA guidelines, we searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the reference lists of all past reviews in the area. Secondary searches of reference lists were undertaken.ResultsSixteen papers provided a description of possible mechanisms which we grouped into three main areas: social support; suicide prevention literacy, and; learning alternative coping behaviours. After assessment of the studies and considering the plausibility of mechanisms, we suggest social support and improved suicide prevention literacy are the most likely mechanisms underpinning BCIs.ConclusionResearchers need to better articulate and measure the mechanisms they believe underpin BCIs in trial studies. Understanding more about the mechanisms of BCIs’ will inform the development of future interventions for self-harm and suicide.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s). 2016