University Mental Health Professionals in Puerto Rico: Suicide Experiences,Attitudes, Practices,and Intervention Skills

This study explored suicide knowledge, experiences, attitudes, practices, and intervention skills of mental health professionals (n?=?52) working in counseling centers of Puerto Rican public and private universities. Intervention skills were examined using a Spanish version of the Suicide Intervention Response Inventory (SIRI-2; Neimeyer & Bonelle, 1997 Neimeyer, R. A. and Bonnelle, K. 1997. The Suicide Intervention Response Inventory: A revision and validation. Death Studies, 21: 59–81. Taylor & Francis Online], Web of Science ®] , Google Scholar]). Results suggest inadequate screening practices, difficulty in exploring and assessing suicidal ideation/conduct and intent, and a lack of knowledge of risk factors. Results point to the need for further training in suicide screening and risk assessment as an early intervention strategy for prevention. Implications for future studies and practice are discussed.