PSY3251 · Suicide prevention and support

Overview

Over 3,000 people die by suicide in Australia every year. Many others experience suicidal thinking or bereavement, making suicide a crucial and pressing public health issue. In this unit, you will begin to understand the complexity of why suicide happens, including: suicide facts and trends, risk and protective factors, social factors, the impact of stigma, and the lived experience. You will critique theoretical approaches to the aetiology and prevention of suicide, and learn how to safely communicate about suicide in a diverse context. Through exploring the evolving social and policy responses to suicide, you will consider a range of approaches to suicide prevention, particularly for communities and populations where people experience disproportionate suicide risk. You will also explore the importance of self-care, and develop skills in providing support to others, as well as recognising the importance of postvention and aftercare for hope and recovery. By the end of this unit you will have a comprehensive understanding of current thinking in why suicide happens and your potential to contribute to suicide prevention.

Offerings

Assessment

The Handbook does not list a final examination among the assessment items. That is not a guarantee there is none.

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Requisites

Learning outcomes

1. Explain how the social and policy context of suicide prevention contribute to stigma.
2. Safely communicate theories, concepts, and empirical findings related to suicide.
3. Critically evaluate current suicide prevention strategies for communities and individual with a focus on the main population groups at higher risk of suicide.
4. Apply knowledge of individual suicide warning signs, risk factors, and resilience to inform multidisciplinary strategies for supporting people with suicidal thoughts.
5. Explain the important role of aftercare and postvention in hope and resilience after suicide.
6. Outline ethical and professional considerations, and the significance of self-care, when supporting people with lived and living experience of suicide.

Workload

A one hour unit induction tutorial in week 1. Two hours of tutorials nine times per semester. Two and half hour workshop one time per semester. Preparation: Eight hours of background reading/preparation, workshops and assessment tasks per week. Attendance at workshops is recommended in order to successfully complete in-class activities and related assessment tasks

Student experience, not official rules. Nothing here changes what the Handbook says.