Citation

Scheerder G, Van Audenhove C. Psychiatr. Danub. 2006; 18(Suppl 1): 94.

Affiliation

LUCAS (Catholic University of Leuven), Kapucijnenvoer 35, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium. (gert.scheerder@med.kuleuven.be)

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, Facultas Universitatis Studiorum Zagrabiensis - Danube Symposion of Psychiatry)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

16964025

Abstract

In the framework of the European Alliance Against Depression (EAAD) project many training programs are provided to improve the skills of general practitioners and community facilitators in dealing with depressed and suicidal clients. To evaluate the effect of these training programs an instrument that reliably (and easily) measures the level of these skills is necessary. An instrument that serves this purpose well and has good psychometric characteristics is the Suicide Intervention Response Inventory (SIRI-2). We developed and validated a Dutch language version of the SIRI-2. Furthermore, we extended and tested its use beyond reported (para)professional target groups (paid and volunteer crisis line staff, teachers, students, parents) to include other groups that come into contact with suicidal clients: general practitioners, pharmacists and community mental health services. Reported results include the reliability (internal consistency, split-half reliability) and validity (construct validity, convergent validity) of the Dutch SIRI-2, differences between various professional groups, the underlying factor structure of suicide intervention skills, and the relation between these skills and other variables such as attitudes towards suicide, personal and professional experience with suicidality and level of training. The instrument and experiences in its use to evaluate training programs will be presented and its applicability will be discussed.

Language: en