Intervention in suicidal ideation and suicide prevention: Experiences and perceptions of a group of Portuguese psychologists

Objective: Suicide represents 800.000 annual deaths, worldwide, and three daily deaths in Portugal. Suicide prevention in a clinical context involves intervening in risk factors such as suicidal ideation. However, this prevention is lacking, given that, globally, 40% of individuals who died by suicide visited emergency services in the previous year. Healthcare professionals face anxiety and difficulties managing at-risk cases, which hinders the effectiveness of their intervention. While psychologists play a crucial role in suicide prevention, there are limited research exploring their experiences in this field. This study aims to explore the experiences of a group of Portuguese psychologists in intervening in suicidal ideation. Method: A qualitative methodology was used, conducting interviews with 10 psychologists with experience in suicidal ideation, followed by a thematic analysis. Results: Participants reported adopting different intervention strategies (e.g., non-adoption of guidelines, emphasis on therapeutic relationship) and facing obstacles (e.g., gaps in academic training, lack of human resources, emotional difficulties). Conclusion: This study highlights the need for specific training and guidelines/protocols, and increased human resources in services. These insights can guide better clinical practices for suicide prevention in Portugal. Further research involving a more diverse range of participants is warranted to draw broader conclusions.