Live-chats in postvention: an analysis of interventions with people bereaved by suicide

. People bereaved by suicide, or “survivors”, are subject to increased risk of depression and suicide. Fear of stigma, fatigue and lack of services may hinder their help-seeking behavior. The aim of this study was to explore the characteristics and needs of survivors who seek help online and the pros and cons of the use of live-chats as a first-aid tool in bereavement support. No such analysis had been carried out before this study. A data-driven thematic analysis with the software Atlas.ti was carried out on 20 live-chat conversations from the major Italian association providing free-of-charge online support. The socio-demographics of the sample were retrieved from the transcripts. Three categories were explored: users’ features, reported needs and online interactions. The users were mainly women (18 of 20), partners, siblings or parents of the deceased (11 of 20), aged between 18 and 60 years, who had lost their loved one between one day and 12 months before. Users expressed needs to receive practical information on how and where to find support and requests to be emotionally reassured. Features such as anonymity and accessibility were fondly appreciated. Live-chat services represent a safe space where survivors can obtain useful information and start processing their loss. Because of its anonymity and accessibility, a live-chat service may represent a valid first line of support and a tool for prevention of suicidal ideation. The strengths of the study reside in its ecology: in contrast to a simulated user study, this analysis stems from a real context of emergency