On suicide risk: from psychological processes to clinical assessment and intervention

Around 800,000 people take their own lives annually, impacting families, communities, health professionals and the society in general, a picture that reveals the urgent need for better ways of understanding and preventing suicides. The current article provides an overview of suicide risk, clinical assessment and intervention across four main parts: a brief overview of the epidemiology of suicide and self-harm; the presentation of a theoretical framework that helps us to understand the psychological processes underpinning suicidal thoughts and behaviors; the issues involved with suicide risk assessment; and finally, potential clinical implications and recommendations for practitioners