SELF-PERCEPTION OF SUICIDE RISK: QUALITATIVE STUDY OF INPATIENTS ADMITTED FOR SUICIDE IDEATION OR ATTEMPT

To build a conceptual model to understand how patients perceived their suicide risk, a qualitative study was conducted. A clinical sample consisting of 20 patients, who were admitted to a psychiatric unit for suicide ideation or a suicide attempt, were interviewed. Interviews were analyzed through Grounded Theory Technique. The results highlight the individual perception of the own suicide risk as a process linking last year events to a more recent triggering event. Protective factors emphasizing quality bonds were also identified. The interview was perceived by the patients, as an intervention by itself in a moment of crisis, allowing them to elaborate on the psychological underpinnings of the suicide ideation. These findings might help to develop new hypothesis of suicide behavior, as well as guidance for quantitative studies.