Karl Andriessen

University of Melbourne | MSD · Melbourne School of Population Health

Background: Exposure to suicide is associated with a range of psychosocial harms which Australian employers have a legislated responsibility to mitigate. Aims: Examine the impact of suicide on staff, current workplace responses and the efficacy of a new, systemic model of workplace postvention. Method: Interviews and focus groups with 54 staff in 2...

This study examines the vital but underexplored role of self-healing in postvention efforts for suicide loss survivors (SLS) in Indonesia. We investigate the perspectives of Indonesian SLS and grief support providers (GSP) on self-healing's role in managing grief. Through in-depth interviews with 31 participants (16 SLS and 15 GSP), reflexive thema...

The suicide of students on university campuses has significant impacts for students and staff. South African universities are not excluded from this impact. This study aimed to identify best-practice recommendations for a suicide postvention intervention programme at a South African university. In a single-round consensus study, suicide-bereaved st...

Introduction Approximately one in five people will experience a death by suicide during their lifetime. Struggling to understand their experiences, people bereaved by suicide often require formal support including support groups, online resources and discussion forums. While previous research has focused on examining experiences of grief, little is...

Background: Suicide bereavement increases the probability of adverse outcomes related to grief, social functioning, mental health, and suicidal behavior. While more support for individuals bereaved by suicide has become available, the evidence regarding its effectiveness is not straightforward. The literature suggests that identifying best-practice...

Background: University students with a family history of mental illness may have an increased risk of developing mental health problems. Aims: The aim of the study was to assess differences in mental health help seeking among students with a family history of mental illness compared to those without a family history. Methods: A total of 1127 u...

Background: Losing a loved one to suicide is an event which can have strong and potentially traumatic impacts on the lives of the bereaved survivors, especially regarding their grief which can be complicated. These bereaved individuals are also less likely to receive social support following their bereavement. However, besides these adverse impacts...

Introduction This systematic review examines the impacts of suicide bereavement on men’s psychosocial outcomes relating to suicidality, mental health, substance use, grief, and social functioning. Given the high global incidence of suicide and the substantial number of individuals affected by each suicide, understanding the specific experiences and...

Adolescents bereaved by suicide and other traumatic death may experience strong grief reactions and increased risks of mental health problems and suicidal behaviour. As timely access to professional help can be critical, it is essential to understand how counselors perceive suicide bereavement in adolescents and how they work with this population....

Public and self-stigma substantially hinder seeking of help during times of psychological distress. Stigma can occur during mental illness or be anticipated when mental illness is not yet present. An important and vulnerable group, but one that is often neglected, are professionals working in mental health field. Using a sample of mental health pro...

Background Disasters and public health emergencies increasingly affect populations around the world, posing significant wide-ranging challenges for societies as well as for effective public health and suicide prevention. Intervention research is essential to inform evidence-based responses. Yet, despite evident public concern and growing research i...

This scoping review aimed to examine how self-healing practices had been addressed in the empirical literature on suicide bereavement. Adhering to PRISMA-ScR guidelines, we searched five databases for peer-reviewed studies that reported using self-healing practices, either as a primary or secondary finding and 32 studies were included. The results...

Objective Each year approximately 3,000 Australians die by suicide. We estimated the population attributable risk for identified target populations to provide evidence on how much of the overall burden of suicide in the Australian population is experienced by each of them. Methods We identified 17 demographic and clinical target populations at ris...

Accessible Summary What is known on the subject? Storytelling is an effective tool for communication, is universally comprehensible and transcends linguistic barriers, adapting to cultures easily. Storytelling has a strong influence on children and has been used for knowledge retention and for developing imagination, creativity and prosocial behav...

Background Psychosocial interventions following self-harm in adults, in particular cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), can be effective in lowering the risk of repeated self-harm. Aims To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of CBT for reducing repeated self-harm in the Australian context. Method The current study adopted the accessing cost-effectivenes...

Young adults with a family history of mental illness may be vulnerable to develop mental health conditions based on genetic and environmental features. This study aimed to explore factors associated with the use of mental health websites for young adults aged 18–30 years who reported a family history of mental illness. Young adults ( n = 469) who r...

Background: Prior self-harm represents the most significant risk factor for future self-harm or suicide. Aim: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of a theoretical brief aftercare intervention (involving brief follow-up contact, care coordination and safety planning), following a hospital-treated self-harm episode, for reducing repeated self-harm...

Background The importance and value of involvement of people with lived experience of suicide has been recognized in suicide research and prevention. Nonetheless, clear guidance on research collaboration and co-production is lacking. This study aimed to address this gap by developing a set of guidelines on active involvement of people with lived ex...

Objective To examine current knowledge about suicide bereavement and postvention interventions for university staff and students. Design Scoping review. Data sources and eligibility We conducted systematic searches in 12 electronic databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Africa-Wide Information, PsycARTICLES, Health Source: Nursing/Academic...

Technology-based platforms are widely used to deliver mental health support. The aim of this study was to explore factors associated with the use of technology-based mental health platforms by students who may be vulnerable to develop a mental health condition in an Australian psychology student sample. Participants were 1146 students (18–30 years)...

Objective: Across all of Australia's states and territories, it is legal for a parent or carer to hit their child. In this paper, we outline the legal context for corporal punishment in Australia and the argument for its reform. Methods: We review the laws that allow corporal punishment, the international agreements on children's rights, the evi...

Many children and adolescents experience the death of a close person, such as a family member or a friend. However, there is a scarcity of literature on the assessment of grief in bereaved youth. The use of validated instruments is essential to advance our knowledge of grief in children and adolescents. We conducted a systematic review, adhering to...

“Suicide is not only the end of life for the deceased but also the beginning of a highly challenging life for those left behind” [...]

Many adults experience mental health problems or suicidality. Mental health and suicidality are associated with stigma and discrimination. Little is known about disclosure of mental health or suicidality problems in workplaces and the role of stigma and discrimination in affecting disclosure. To address this gap, we conducted a systematic review fo...

Objective: Experiencing the suicide of a parent or a sibling is one of the most disruptive and stressful events in the life of a child or adolescent. Yet, little is known about the effectiveness of support offered to children and adolescents bereaved by suicide. This study aimed to evaluate participant and facilitator’s perceived helpfulness of the...

Depression is the most common disorder in people who attempt suicide or die by suicide. Research review indicate that therapy of depression (including psychoeducation) is one of the main factors in the prevention of suicidal behavior. In this paper we examine the intensification of search interest for the terms “depression” and “suicide” in Google...

Background Postvention is a core component of suicide prevention strategies, internationally. However, the types of supports provided to people impacted by suicide vary widely. This study examines the perceived effectiveness of the Primary Care Navigator (PCN) model for people bereaved by suicide. The PCN model was implemented in response to a suic...

Introduction Suicide loss survivors often find it challenging to access professional help due to social stigma despite being at a higher risk of developing suicidal behaviour and mental health problems. Most available grief interventions are professional-led and heavily rely on help-seeking behaviour. Self-healing is a growing alternative intervent...

Background and aim: Suicide continues to be a major public health challenge in Australia with significant individual, community, and societal impacts. Targeted and timely research efforts are essential to effectively address this challenge in a rapidly changing world. Building on our earlier research priority setting exercise conducted in 2017, the...

Introduction Stigma is one of the main factors hindering help-seeking, which can have debilitating effects on mental health and even lead to suicidality. Stigma can affect the general public but also mental health professionals. In this study we examined mental-illness and help-seeking self-stigma as well as public stigma of suicidal behavior among...

Experiencing the death of a loved one increases the risk of developing mental health problems. Students are vulnerable to developing mental health problems, to which substance use can contribute. Still, few studies have examined substance use in bereaved students. Using an online survey, we collected data about the impact of the death of a loved on...

Many emerging adults experience the death of a loved one while they are enrolled as a student in higher education. Bereavement increases the risk of long-term adverse physical and mental health outcomes. Still, as most studies have focused on psychological aspects of grief, little is known about the impact of grief on somatic complaints in students...

There are various ethical issues in bereavement research. Most of the literature focuses on ethical issues involving adult participants. However, it is conceivable that research with minors poses particular ethical challenges, and little is known of the ethical issues involved in bereavement research with minors. A scoping review adhering to the PR...

Introduction: Media guidelines for the responsible reporting of suicide are a recognized universal suicide prevention intervention. While implemented in numerous countries, including Australia, little is known about whether they are cost-effective. We aimed to determine the cost-effectiveness of Mindframe, the national initiative implementing medi...

Many students have experienced the death of a loved one, which increases their risk of grief and mental health problems. Formal and social support can contribute to better coping skills and personal growth in bereaved students. The purpose of this study was to examine the support that students received or wanted to receive and its relation to stude...

The COVID-19 pandemic is related to changes in rates of suicide and suicide attempts in many countries, and some differences have been observed regarding the prevalence of suicidal behaviours in different age and gender groups. The aim of this study is to analyse the number of suicides and suicide attempts per 100,000 people between 2019 and 2021 i...

Suicide remains an important public health problem worldwide. Many countries have developed national suicide prevention policies or guidelines, which often include family-based recommendations regarding suicide prevention, intervention or postvention. A recent systematic review, published in this journal, failed to find evidence of an impact of fam...

Background Stigma about mental illness—both public and self—is one of the most important factors hindering help-seeking. Stigma can occur during an acute episode of mental illness or be anticipatory. One group affected by stigma, but often neglected, is mental health professionals. This study examined the anticipated form of mental-illness and help...

Informal caregivers include family, friends, and significant others who provide important support for people who have attempted suicide or experienced suicidal ideation. Despite the prevalence of suicidal behaviour worldwide, they remain an understudied population. This review aimed to synthesise the literature on the experiences and support needs...

Experiencing the death of a loved one can have a substantial negative impact on the grief and mental health of students. However, the bereavement can also lead to personal growth. We investigated the association between personal growth and support, grief, and distress. Bereaved students (N = 666) at Flemish universities and colleges (Belgium) compl...

Importance: Installation of barriers has been shown to reduce suicides. To our knowledge, no studies have evaluated the cost-effectiveness of installing barriers at multiple bridge and cliff sites where suicides are known to occur. Objective: To examine the cost-effectiveness of installing barriers at bridge and cliff sites throughout Australia....

Objectives: Parenting is central to children's optimal development and accounts for a substantial proportion of the variance in child outcomes, including up to 40% of child mental health. Parenting is also one of the most modifiable, proximal, and direct factors for preventing and treating a range of children's problems and enhancing wellbeing. To...

The concept of continuing bonds as an alternative to detachment from the deceased person has gained traction in grief literature over the years. Those bereaved by suicide are likely to experience various grief reactions and may be at-risk for adverse grief and mental health outcomes. However, it remains unclear how those bereaved by suicide experie...

Work-related suicide exposure may significantly contribute to the risk of burnout in first responders. This study assessed the exposure to suicide, burnout, and coping mechanisms in emergency medical services in Poland, including psychosocial determinants, such as age, gender, and access to psychological support. The level of burnout was assessed u...

Aim Research is imperative to advance our understanding of suicidal behavior and its prevention. Suicide prevention research involves various ethical issues, many of which are not straightforward to address. Hence, suicide prevention researchers sometimes face particular issues when designing their research studies. This expert consensus study aime...

Background A suicide death impacts upon the wellbeing of close family members and friends but has also been shown to affect many people outside of this immediate circle. This will be the first large-scale national study of adults bereaved or affected by suicide in Ireland, using a cross-sectional online survey. The overarching aim will be to gain i...

There are concerns that involving adolescents bereaved by suicide and other traumatic death in research may cause distress and harm. However, no study has investigated such bereaved adolescents’ research experiences. In addition, no study has looked at the experiences of parents and clinicians as participants in adolescent suicide and traumatic dea...

Experiencing bereavement due to the death of a close person is rife in the lives of young people. This review aimed to investigate how bereavement affects educational outcomes of students at various educational levels and what factors may be involved in moderating these outcomes. The systemic review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines...

Background Many adolescents struggle with their grief and mental health issues after the death of a close person, such as a family member or a friend. Given the potentially devastating impact of the loss on the adolescent and their family, professional help can be warranted. However, little is known about how to best help these adolescents. This st...

This report evaluates a community-based active postvention model that involves delivery of a rapid-referral intervention for postvention support, initialed by police in response to a suspected suicide.

Background A suicide death impacts upon the wellbeing of close family members and friends but has also been shown to affect many people outside of this immediate circle. This will be the first large-scale national study of adults bereaved or affected by suicide in Ireland, using a cross-sectional online survey. The overarching aim will be to gain i...

Background: There has been limited attention to the development and delivery of tertiary suicide prevention curricula. The aim of this work was to describe the status of postgraduate suicide prevention education, with specific attention on examining the needs of the suicide prevention sector in Australia. Method: An online survey was completed b...

Suicide bereavement is frequent in the general population and it can have deleterious consequences on the mental health and social functioning of the bereaved individuals. However, those bereaved can face substantial barriers to receive support, and online resources may improve the accessibility of support. This systematic review aimed at examining...

Experiencing a death by suicide is a devastating event in the lives of adolescents; however, little is known about what makes help helpful according to their experiences. Thematic analysis of individual and group interview data (N = 18) yielded four themes: feeling connected with, and understood by a helper, having a sense of control over, and acce...

Suicidal behavior constitutes a major global problem. Qualitative research utilizing the first-hand experiences of those who have survived attempts to take their own lives can offer much in the way of understanding how to live well despite ongoing suicidal behavior. Given that suicidal intentions and behaviors occur within the person’s subjective c...

Background: Individuals recovering from a suicide attempt may benefit from support provided by informal carers, that is, family members and other support persons, who may require support themselves. Aims: This systematic review aims to identify and synthesize available literature on the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions for this carer pop...

Background Suicide research aims to contribute to a better understanding of suicidal behaviour and its prevention. However, there are many ethical challenges in this research field, for example, regarding consent and potential risks to participants. While studies to-date have focused on the perspective of the researchers, this study aimed to invest...

Background: Experiencing the death of a close person, especially in emerging adults and students, can have profound effects on the bereaved individual's life. As most research in this field has focused on negative effects of a loss, little is known about potential positive effects experienced by bereaved university students. This study investigate...

Contemporary suicide prevention emerged, to a large extent, as a result of groundwork conducted by volunteers. This chapter focuses on the involvement of volunteers in suicide prevention organizations throughout history and across the world, including the involvement of volunteers in suicide bereavement support. The characteristics of volunteers an...

Experiencing the suicide of a significant other, such as a family member or a friend, constitutes a major disruptive life event, which may exacerbate the risk of social, physical, and mental health problems, and suicidal behaviour in the bereaved individuals. This chapter describes how many people are bereaved by suicide, the possible grief reactio...

Family can play an important role in supporting a person at-risk of suicide, as well as through treatment and recovery after a suicide attempt. This text provides an overview of the impact a suicide attempt can have on the family and the needs of family carers. Examples of psychosocial interventions for people, mostly adolescents, who have made a s...

Objectives Explore international consensus on nomenclatures of suicidal behaviours and analyse differences in terminology between high-income countries (HICs) and low/middle-income countries (LMICs). Design An online survey of members of the International Organisation for Suicide Prevention (IASP) used multiple-choice questions and vignettes to as...

Research is essential for advancing our understanding of suicidal behavior and its prevention, and to offer effective help to those at-risk. However, suicide research entails a range of ethical challenges, which have started to receive some attention. This chapter discusses challenges regarding conducting studies with suicidal people and those bere...

Background: Having someone close die through suicide or another form of traumatic death is a distressing event in the lives of adolescents, putting them at risk of grief and mental health ramifications. As most research in this field has been focused on intrapersonal grief reactions, this study aimed to broaden the perspective by exploring the imp...

Objectives: Posttraumatic growth (PTG) is a significant positive change experienced by an individual following stressful or challenging life events in his or her life. PTG has been explored in various populations; however, only recently, the concept has been applied to suicide bereavement and postvention. This systematic review aims to explore whe...

Suïcide is in veel landen een belangrijk gezondheidsprobleem. In 2014 overleden er in Nederland en Vlaanderen respectie-velijk 11 en 16,5 op de 100.000 personen door suïcide. Naar schatting ondernemen ongeveer twintigmaal zoveel personen een suïcidepoging. Terwijl een suïcidepoging een van de belangrijkste risicofactoren is voor een herhaling ervan...

Background Exposure to suicidal behavior may be associated with increased risk of suicide, suicide attempt, and suicidal ideation and is a significant public health problem. However, evidence to date has not reliably distinguished between exposure to suicide versus suicide attempt, nor whether the risk differs across suicide-related outcomes, which...

Suicide postvention comprises a concerted response to, and provision of care for, people bereaved by suicide including those impacted by the suicide of a family member, friend or person in their social network. Currently, various forms of postvention services are available, such as group support, grief counselling, outreach by agencies and online s...

Background: Suicide bereavement can have a lasting and devastating psychosocial impact on the bereaved individuals and communities. Many countries, such as Australia, have included postvention, i.e., concerted suicide bereavement support, in their suicide prevention policies. While little is known of the effectiveness of postvention, this review ai...

In this commentary, we highlight the availability of two newly developed instruments that measure grief in adolescents. We present similarities and differences regarding their content, factor structure, and characteristics of the validated populations. Given the small body of adolescent grief instruments, these two new scales will prove to be usefu...

Suicide and neuroticism: a multicenter study

Background: Several countries have regulated euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide (PAS). Research has looked at the experiences of patients, family, and professionals. However, little is known of the effects on bereaved individuals. Aims: We aimed to assess (a) what is known about the grief and mental health of people bereaved by euthanasia or...

Objective: The aim of this multicenter study was to investigate the differences in personality traits, particularly Neuroticism, in three clinical samples and three student samples in Austria and Italy and their impact on suicide. Methods: In total, 1,043 people (410 psychiatric inpatients and 633 university students) were tested in three region...

Researchers and research ethics committees share a common goal of conducting ethically sound research. However, little is known of researchers’ experiences in obtaining ethics approval for suicide-related studies. This study aimed to investigate what concerns researchers have received on suicide-related ethics applications and how they dealt with i...