Abstract
Clinical Psychologists’ Experiences of Working with Suicidal Adolescents: A Phenomenological Approach
Suicide is a growing concern, especially among adolescents. Furthermore, adolescence is a complex development stage that consists of several crucial developmental tasks. During adolescence the child moves from dependence to independence, develops their identity, and personality matures. This stage is crucial for mental illness intervention to mitigate any troubles during adulthood. It is also a stage marked by impulsivity and a lack of cognitive ability to understand the consequences of actions fully.
Psychologists have the unique experience of working very closely with suicidality, providing an insightful and in-depth recollection. However, despite this, psychologists’ experience of working with suicidality in adolescents has received little research focus. This study aimed to elucidate these experiences by adopting Interpretative Phenomenological Approach. The research aimed to answer the following research question; what are the experiences of clinical psychologists working with suicidal adolescents? The study consisted of six clinical psychologists, registered in independent practice for more than two years.
Semi-structured interviews were conducted, after which an in-depth data analysis took place using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Six master themes were revealed. These include the complexity of suicidality; the role of the psychologist; ethics, legislation, and boundaries; additional strategies; lack of resources; working with adolescents; and physiological experiences. This study offers a unique consideration of the clinical psychologists’ experiences working with suicidal adolescents. Furthermore, it offers a base for future research on this topic and adds to the knowledge base of existing literature on this subject.
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Keywords: adolescence; clinical psychologist; interpretative phenomenological approach; IPA; suicide and suicidality; lived experience; Gauteng, South Africa.