英文摘要 |
This study provides an in-depth examination of suicide prevention case managers based on actual experiences. The purpose of this study was three-fold: (1) first, we explored the underlying motivation of people who chose a career as a suicide prevention case manager (2) we then set out to identify whether suicide prevention case managers have any major shortcomings as evidenced by actual case histories; (3) finally, we aimed to pinpoint the specific abilities and skills necessary to be a suicide prevention case managers. We adopted a qualitative research method to carry out this study and conducted in-depth interviews with three suicide prevention case managers who each had over one year of actual experience in the field. The principal results of our study are as follows: (1) among the participants we interviewed, the primary motivating factor for working as a suicide prevention case manager was an expectation of developing a career in the field of psychology; (2) potential shortcomings of suicide prevention case managers included insufficient understanding of the concept of suicide prevention, lack of awareness to philosophical outlooks on life and death, inadequate training, and not placing enough emphasis on the importance of self care; (3) the suicide prevention case managers we interviewed cited seven major required skills and abilities for being able to effectively carry out their job duties: (a) an understanding of issues of life, death, and suicidology, (b) knowledge of psychopathology, (c) counseling and communication skills, (d) ability to recognize and assess suicide risk and warning signs, (e) crisis management, (f) knowledge of grief counseling, and (g) resource coordination. In conclusion, we found that in spite of a disparity between initial job expectations, motivation, and actual job duties, as well as challenges associated with working as a suicide prevention case manager under the current system, the participants we interviewed reported an overall positive experience with regard to their professional training and self-growth. As for the potential shortcomings of case managers that were identified during this study, we compiled basic knowledge and empirically required skills and abilities which may be used as a reference for formulating clearer job requirements in the field of suicide prevention. Furthermore, we provide suggestions aimed at helping case managers become more effective at their job under the current system and also put forward recommendations for future research based on our findings. |