Jones Poppy, Quayle Katie E, Kamboj Sunjeev K, Di Simplicio Martina, Pitman Alexandra
Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London (UCL), London, UK.
North London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Suicide Life Threat Behav. 2025 Feb;55(1):e13134. doi: 10.1111/sltb.13134. Epub 2024 Nov 4.
People bereaved by suicide are at increased risk of suicide. Potential explanations include changes in the cognitive availability of suicide after suicide bereavement, but this has been under-investigated. This study aimed to investigate how suicide bereavement influences thoughts about suicide, including methods considered.
We interviewed 20 UK-based adultswho reported having been preoccupied by the suicide of a close contact, analyzing qualitative data using reflexive thematic analysis.
We identified four main themes: divergent changes in views about suicide as an option; impact of the method used on consideration of own potential method of suicide (including an aversion to the same method); experience of suicidal ideation as a means of understanding the deceased's state of mind; and thoughts related to reunion with the deceased.
Our findings suggest that the trauma of exposure to a close contact's suicide can modify the cognitive availability of suicide in divergent ways, including suicide being perceived as a more or less acceptable option, and a tension between the two. These insights assist clinicians in sensitive exploration of suicide bereavement and in risk mitigation. They suggest revisions to existing models of cognitive availability and the potential for psychological interventions that modify the cognitive availability of suicide.
因自杀而失去亲人的人自杀风险会增加。可能的解释包括自杀丧亲后自杀在认知上的可及性变化，但这方面的研究一直不足。本研究旨在调查自杀丧亲如何影响对自杀的想法，包括所考虑的方法。
我们采访了20名英国成年人，他们表示曾因亲密接触者的自杀而心事重重，使用反思性主题分析法分析定性数据。
我们确定了四个主要主题：对自杀作为一种选择的看法出现不同变化；所用方法对自身潜在自杀方法考量的影响（包括对相同方法的厌恶）；将自杀意念作为理解死者心理状态的一种方式的体验；以及与与死者团聚相关的想法。
我们的研究结果表明，接触亲密接触者自杀的创伤会以不同方式改变自杀在认知上的可及性，包括自杀被视为或多或少可接受的选择，以及两者之间的紧张关系。这些见解有助于临床医生对自杀丧亲进行敏感的探索并降低风险。它们建议对现有的认知可及性模型进行修订，以及进行可能改变自杀认知可及性的心理干预。
