Comparing Models of Helper Behavior to Actual Practice in Telephone Crisis Intervention: A Silent Monitoring Study of Calls to the U.S. 1–800-SUICIDE Network

  1. Brian L. Mishara PhD1,*,
  2. Fran¸ois Chagnon PhD2,
  3. Marc Daigle PhD3,
  4. Bogdan Balan MD, PhD4,
  5. Sylvaine Raymond MA5,
  6. Isabelle Marcoux PhD6,
  7. Cécile Bardon MA7,
  8. Julie K. Campbell BS8,
  9. Alan Berman PhD9

Article first published online: 31 DEC 2010

DOI: 10.1521/suli.2007.37.3.291

Issue

Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior

Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior

Volume 37, Issue 3, pages 291–307, June 2007

Additional Information

How to Cite

Mishara, B. L., Chagnon, F., Daigle, M., Balan, B., Raymond, S., Marcoux, I., Bardon, C., Campbell, J. K. and Berman, A. (2007), Comparing Models of Helper Behavior to Actual Practice in Telephone Crisis Intervention: A Silent Monitoring Study of Calls to the U.S. 1–800-SUICIDE Network. Suicide and Life-Threat Behavi, 37: 291–307. doi: 10.1521/suli.2007.37.3.291

Author Information

  1. 1

    Director, Center for Research and Intervention on Suicide and Euthanasia (CRISE) and Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Quebec at Montreal

  2. 2

    Associate-director

  3. 3

    Researcher

  4. 4

    Researcher

  5. 5

    Research Coordinator

  6. 6

    Researcher at CRISE

  7. 7

    PhD student, Department of Psychology, University of Quebec at Montreal

  8. 8

    PhD student, Department of Psychology, University of Quebec at Montreal and Director, Le Faubourg Suicide Prevention Centre, St. Jerome, Quebec

  9. 9

    Director, American Association of Suicidology.

*Director, Center for Research and Intervention on Suicide and Euthanasia, University of Quebec at Montreal, c.p. 8888, Succ. Center-Ville, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H3C 3P8; E-mail: mishara.brian@uqam.ca

  1. This study was conducted under contract with the American Association of Suicidology in fulfillment of the evaluation requirements of Grant No. 6079SM54–27–01–1 from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Thanks to Reese Butler, the Kristin Brooks Hope Center staff, Jerry Reed, and the directors and workers at the crisis centers who participated in this study.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 31 DEC 2010
  2. Article first published online: 31 DEC 2010
  3. Manuscript Received: July 28, 2006 Manuscript Accepted: November 1, 2006

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Models of telephone crisis intervention in suicide prevention and best practices were developed from a literature review and surveys of crisis centers. We monitored 2,611 calls to 14 centers using reliable behavioral ratings to compare actual interventions with the models. Active listening and collaborative problem-solving models describe help provided. Centers vary greatly in the nature of interventions and their quality according to predetermined criteria. Helpers do not systematically assess suicide risk. Some lives may have been saved but occasionally unacceptable responses occur. Recommendations include the need for quality assurance, development of standardized practices and research relating intervention processes to outcomes.

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