1. Objectifs

Intentions :
« [W]e explore means of indirectly helping [high risk suicidal men] who do not seek help by providing services to family and friends who do seek help for them by contacting suicide prevention resources. » (p. 330)

2. Méthode

Échantillon/Matériau :
131 proches d’un homme suicidaire : « Participants were family and friends who called Suicide Action Montreal concerning a suicidal man who met the following criteria: (1) was between age 18 and 69 and either; (2) had already attempted suicide at least one; or (3) could be diagnosed as suffering from a major depression, a drug abuse problem, or alcoholism based on DSM-IV criteria, as assessed in diagnostic interview questions asked to the third party caller. » (p. 332)

Instruments :
- « [T]he Ways of Coping Questionnaire developped by Lazarus and Folkman (1984) » (p. 334);
- Questions du Quebec Health Survey (Institut de la statistique du Québec, 2003) concernant les relations sociales (p. 334);
- Questionnaire développé spécialement pour l’étude et comportant des questions au sujet de la communication avec l’homme suicidaire (p. 334);
- « The scale used to assess psychological distress in the Quebec Health Survey in 1998 (Institut de la Statistique, 2003) [...] » (p. 335);
- Questionnaires portant sur l’utilisation des ressources, les relations sociales, les comportements suicidaires, la communication avec la famille et les amis, la satisfaction et l’utilité des services octroyés (p. 335);
- « Five questions used in the Quebec Health Survey in 1998 (Institut de la Statistique, 2003) were used to evaluate the frequency and amount of alcohol consumption during the last month. » (p. 335).

Type de traitement des données :
Analyse statistique

3. Résumé

« Callers to a suicide prevention center concerned about high risk men were randomly invited to participate in one of four programs: Information Session, Information Session with Telephone Follow-up, Rapid Referral to mental health and abuse programs, or Telephone Support. Comparison of pre-test, 2 month post-test and 6 months follow-up with 131 participants found that after third party participation, the third party participant reported that the suicidal men had significantly less suicidal ideation, fewer suicide attempts, and less depressive symptoms. Family and friends had less psychological distress, used more positive coping mechanisms, and reported their communication with the suicidal man was more helpful. The Telephone Support was considered the most useful program. » (p. 329)