Journal article
Dealing with the Aftermath: A Qualitative Analysis of Mental Health Social Workers' Reactions after a Client Suicide
Social work (New York), Vol.51(4), pp.329-341
10/2006
DOI: 10.1093/sw/51.4.329
PMID: 17152631
Abstract
Social workers provide services to populations with mental health issues, including suicidal ideations and are thus at risk of experiencing a client suicide at some point during their career. Limited research using quantitative methods has explored the effect of client suicide on social workers, but little is known about their reactions from a qualitative standpoint—a method of study that is essential for fully understanding a social science phenomenon. This study addresses the gap in the literature by providing findings from an in-depth qualitative study of 25 mental health social workers who shared their experiences and reactions in the aftermath of a client suicide. Major themes were identified, including both professional and personal reactions of denial, anger, grief, and acceptance. Avoidance and intrusion, as well as additional themes of professional incompetence, responsibility, isolation, and justification were indicated and discussed in the conceptual framework of grief and secondary traumatic stress. The implications for practitioners, administrators, and educators are discussed.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Dealing with the Aftermath: A Qualitative Analysis of Mental Health Social Workers' Reactions after a Client Suicide
- Creators
- Laura Ting - University of Maryland, Baltimore CountySara Sanders - University of IowaJodi M. Jacobson - University of Maryland, BaltimoreJames R. Power - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Social work (New York), Vol.51(4), pp.329-341
- DOI
- 10.1093/sw/51.4.329
- PMID
- 17152631
- NLM abbreviation
- Soc Work
- ISSN
- 0037-8046
- eISSN
- 1545-6846
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 10/2006
- Academic Unit
- Liberal Arts and Science Admin; School of Social Work
- Record Identifier
- 9984307147502771
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