[Acute mental health-caregivers speaking about Meaning in Life when assessing suicidality: a qualitative study]

The Multidisciplinary guideline for diagnostics and treatment of suicidal behaviour recommends paying attention to the patients’ perception of meaning in life (MiL) while examining their suicidality. It is unknown how caregivers do this in practice.

To gain insight into the way and the extent in which clinicians explore MiL with patients being assessed for
suicidality and their experiences with it.

Qualitative research with in-depth interviews among eleven caregivers in acute mental health of Altrecht: data were thematically analysed both deductively and inductively.

Five themes emerged: how aspects of MiL emerge in the conversation about suicidality; the intention to understand suicidality by exploring possible protective factors; the effect on patients; the helping and impeding factors for discussing MiL; the participant’s attitude of being present while speaking about the patient’s MiL.

Participants experience the conversation about MiL with suicidal patients as relevant. It provides information about protective factors, which contributes to the understanding of suicidality. The concept of MiL requires further operationalisation. Follow-up research into the several aspects of MiL in relation to diagnostics of suicidality is recommended.