Clinician profiles of suicide prevention attitudes and confidence and their association with reported suicide prevention practices

Abstract

Many who die by suicide seek care in general health care settings within a year before death, but only recently has suicide prevention become a core responsibility in these settings. Implementing suicide prevention practices is challenging, and common barriers to adoption include clinician attitudes and self-efficacy. Identifying clinician profiles can further illuminate patterns of suicide prevention practice attitudes and self-efficacy within clinician subgroups to inform implementation strategy selection and development. This study identified distinct clinician profiles of suicide prevention attitudes and confidence and examines their associations with suicide prevention practice delivery to patients. This study also investigated variables that help explain an individual's likelihood of belonging to latent profiles. Clinicians (N = 1,570) from one health care system completed a survey assessing attitudes, confidence in using suicide prevention practices, and current practice use. Latent profile analysis was conducted, followed by outcome and predictor analyses. Four unique profiles characterized by varying levels of attitudes and self-efficacy were identified. The profile characterized by poor attitudes toward the universal screening practice but high self-efficacy to utilize suicide prevention practices reported higher practice use with patients. Clinician characteristics (e.g., role) and contextual factors (e.g., leadership support) predicted profile membership. Results highlight meaningful variations in clinicians' suicide prevention attitudes and self-efficacy, identifying four distinct profiles. These findings highlight the need for further tailoring suicide prevention training and implementation strategy selection. Profiles characterized by neutral or low self-efficacy may benefit from implementation strategies that provide interactive assistance, while high confidence profiles may benefit from strategies targeting sustainment. Specific approaches to leverage these profiles for improved practice adoption are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Figure 1

Final profile solution

Figure 2

Final profile solution for sensitivity analysis