Nurses' and doctors' attitudes towards suicidal behaviour in young people

This paper presents an exploratory study performed to identify the attitude s towards suicidal behaviour in young people, amongst nurses (and nursing l ecturers), and doctors working in in-patient medical and mental health care settings. The Suicide Opinion Questionnaire (SOQ) was administered to 59 p articipants. Responses were scored using eight clinical scales, and tested by using a Kruskal-Wallis one way analysis of variance. An Independent Samp le t-test was used to analyse gender differences. Qualitative interviews we re conducted in a sample of respondents. SOQ findings revealed no overall s ignificant differences in the relevant groups of nurses and doctors, with t he exception of gender and the clinical scale relating to a 'Cry for Help'. The focused interviews generated five categories relating to suicidal beha viour and young people. Nurses and doctors working in these areas possess a range of influential perceptions of suicidal behaviour and need to be cons idered in the contexts of care and treatment of young people. (C) 1999 Else vier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.