@article{ref1,
title="Caught between expectations and the practice field",
journal="Crisis",
year="2019",
author="Vattø, Ingvild Engh and Lien, Lars and Demarinis, Valerie and Kjørven Haug, Sigrid Helene and Danbolt, Lars Johan",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="1-7",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Volunteer crisis line responders are a valuable resource for suicide prevention crisis lines worldwide. <br><br>AIM: The aim of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of how volunteers operating a diaconal crisis line in Norway experienced challenges and how these challenges were met. <br><br>METHOD: A qualitative, explorative study was conducted. A total of 27 volunteers were interviewed through four focus groups. The material was analyzed using systematic text condensation. <br><br>RESULTS: The greatest challenge to the volunteers was the perception of a gap between their expectations and the practice field. The experience of many volunteers was that the crisis line primarily served a broad ongoing support function for loneliness or mental illness concerns, rather than a suicide prevention crisis intervention function. LIMITATIONS: The focus group design may have made the participants more reluctant to share experiences representing alternative perspectives or personally sensitive information. <br><br>CONCLUSION: The findings of this study suggest that a uniform response to callers using crisis lines as a source of ongoing support is warranted and should be implemented in volunteer training programs.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0227-5910",
doi="10.1027/0227-5910/a000573",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1027/0227-5910/a000573"
}