Coping with the economic and labor crisis: models and tools for the evaluation of suicide risk

This review derives from the application of models and tools to address the suicidal risk of people affected by the Italian economic and labor crisis, especially since 2010. This crisis has resulted in a sharp increase in the number of suicides by employers who lost their companies — mostly small and family-run — and employees who lost their job. A national psychological support service was implemented with the purpose of listening to and counseling those who were in serious economic difficulties, thus preventing their disease. Over 1000 people turned to this support service; the authors of the study could therefore observe the strengths of various theoretical and practical approaches and their implications in situations where the risk of suicide was present. On the basis of this experience as well, the authors propose a description of the models and tools, mainly addressing psychologists and psychotherapists faced with suicidal risk situations.