When it's Darkest

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Speaker

Rory O'Connor

Rory O'Connor PhD FRSE FAcSS is Professor of Health Psychology at the University of Glasgow in Scotland, President of the International Association for Suicide Prevention and a Past President of the International Academy of Suicide Research. Rory leads the Suicidal Behaviour Research Lab at Glasgow, one of the leading suicide/self-harm research groups internationally. He has published extensively in the field of suicide and self-harm, specifically concerning the psychological processes which precipitate suicidal behaviour and self-harm. He is also co-author/editor of several books and is author of the award-winning book When It is Darkest. Why People Die by Suicide and What We Can Do To Prevent It (2021). He is Co-Editor-in-Chief of Archives of Suicide Research and Associate Editor of Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior. Rory acts as an advisor to a range of national and international organisations including national governments on the areas of suicide and self-harm including the Scottish Government. 

Suicidal Behaviour Research Lab, School of Health & Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, UK.

When It Is Darkest: Understanding Suicide Risk

In this presentation, I will draw from my book When It Is Darkest: Why People Die by Suicide and What We Can Do To Prevent It (Vermilion, 2021). My aim in the book is to get to the heart of this most tragic of human outcomes, challenging myths and misunderstandings as well as bringing together the personal and the professional.
Aim: I will present an overview of some of our clinical, experimental and intervention studies, including some of our COVID work, to illustrate how psychological, physiological and social factors may increase suicide risk.

Although a comprehensive understanding of these determinants of suicidality requires an appreciation of biological, psychological and social perspectives, the focus in this presentation is primarily on the psychological determinants of self-harm and suicide. The Integrated Motivational–Volitional (IMV) Model of Suicidal Behaviour (O'Connor, 2011; O'Connor & Kirtley, 2018) provides a framework in which to understand suicide and self-harm.  This tripartite model maps the relationship between background factors and trigger events, and the development of suicidal ideation/intent through to suicidal behaviour.

Across a range of studies, there is growing evidence for the motivational and volitional moderators in clinical and non-clinical populations.  I will also present data from some of our work on brief psychosocial interventions such as safety planning, the volitional helpsheet and the distress brief intervention.

We need to develop new psychosocial interventions to target entrapment. The IMV model identifies 8 key pillars that govern the transition from suicidal thoughts to suicide attempts.  Clinical interventions such as safety planning targeting the volitional phase factors to reduce the likelihood that suicidal thoughts are acted upon are really promising. The implications for the prevention of self-harm and suicide will also be discussed.

Programme

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