Abstract
University chaplains are often unrecognised as resources in suicide prevention. This exploratory article highlights the valuable contributions university chaplains at one Australian university make to suicide prevention. Three overarching themes related to the contributions of university chaplains to suicide prevention were generated: (1) person-centred care; (2) the role of university chaplains in suicide prevention; and (3) professional development. Of particular note is that university chaplains actively contribute to all three phases of the suicide prevention framework: prevention, intervention, and postvention.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
In its historical context, the term, chaplain, was exclusively associated with Christians, particularly clergymen. Today, it has broadened to refer to people from diverse religious and non-religious backgrounds who care for the spiritual dimension. Chaplains are present in various environments such as schools, universities, hospitals, and prisons.
It must be noted that there are situations where a university chaplain provides care beyond the student and staff population. For example, in the event of a student suicide, university chaplains may offer support to those within the broader university community, such as the family members of the deceased.
Decisions regarding the presentation of data were made with careful consideration to safeguard the anonymity of participants and prevent the identification of their institution. As a result, the total number of chaplains at the institution, and the percentage who participated, has been omitted.
Exploring the impact of religious teachings on suicide risk is beyond the scope of this paper. It is sufficient, at this level, to identify that there are differences in opinion amongst university chaplains on the potential protective nature of certain religious prohibitions. For an exploration of the origin and development of the Catholic prohibition of suicide, see: Adamiak & Dohnalik, 2023.
This is an example of indicated prevention.
This is an example of selective or indicated prevention.
It must be noted that the nature and extent of training amongst (university) chaplains varies significantly. More research needs to be done in this area.
References
Adamiak, S., & Dohnalik, J. (2023). The prohibition of suicide and its theological rationale in Catholic moral and canonical tradition: Origins and development. Journal of Religion and Health, 62(6), 3820–3833. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-023-01900-w
Auld, G. W., Diker, A., Bock, M. A., Boushey, C. J., Bruhn, C. M., Cluskey, M., Edlefsen, M., Goldberg, D. L., Misner, S. L., Olson, B. H., Reicks, M., Wang, C., & Zaghloul, S. (2007). Development of a decision tree to determine appropriateness of NVivo in analyzing qualitative data sets. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 39(1), 37–47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2006.09.006
Ayres, L. (2008). Semi-structured interview. In L. M. Given (Ed.), The SAGE encyclopedia of qualitative research methods. SAGE Publications.
Baart, A. (2005). Als een vriend… En wat dat mogelijk betekent [As a Friend… and what that could possibly mean]. In F. Vosman & B. Molenaar (Eds.), Perspectieven op vriendschap [Perspectives on friendship]. Uitgeverij SWP.
Baik, C., Larcombe, W., & Brooker, A. (2019). How universities can enhance student mental wellbeing: The student perspective. Higher Education Research and Development, 38(4), 674–687. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2019.1576596
Bayliss, L. T., Christensen, S., Lamont-Mills, A., & du Plessis, C. (2022). Suicide capability within the ideation-to-action framework: A systematic scoping review. PloS one, 17(10), e0276070. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0276070
Black, M. H., Scott, M., Baker-Young, E., Thompson, C., McGarry, S., Hayden-Evans, M., Snyman, Z., Zimmermann, F., Kacic, V., Falkmer, T., Romanos, M., Bölte, S., Girdler, S., & Milbourn, B. (2023). Preventing suicide in post-secondary students: A scoping review of suicide prevention programs. European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 32(5), 735–771. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-021-01858-8
Blades, C. A., Stritzke, W. G. K., Page, A. C., & Brown, J. D. (2018). The benefits and risks of asking research participants about suicide: A meta-analysis of the impact of exposure to suicide-related content. Clinical Psychology Review, 64, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2018.07.001
Bloom, B. L. (1984). Community mental health: A general introduction. DA Information Services.
Blumenthal, S. J., & Kupfer, D. J. (1988). Overview of early detection and treatment strategies for suicidal behavior in young people. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 17(1), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01538721
Brådvik, L. (2018). Suicide risk and mental disorders. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(9), 2028. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15092028
Caplan, G. (1964). Principles of preventive psychiatry. Basic Books.
Capps, D. (2005). The agent of hope. In R. C. Dykstra (Ed.), Images of pastoral care: Classic readings (pp. 188–199). Chalice Press.
Carey, L. B., Bambling, M., Hodgson, T. J., Jamieson, N., Bakhurst, M. G., & Koenig, H. G. (2023). Pastoral narrative disclosure: The development and evaluation of an Australian chaplaincy intervention strategy for addressing moral injury. Journal of Religion and Health, 62(6), 4032–4071. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-023-01930-4
Cecchin, H. F. G., Murta, S. G., de Macedo, E. O. S., & Moore, R. A. (2022). Scoping review of 30 years of suicide prevention in university students around the world: Efficacy, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness. Psicologia Reflexão e Crítica. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41155-022-00227-x
Chang, E. C., Chang, O. D., Martos, T., Sallay, V., Lee, J., Stam, K. R., Batterbee, C.N.-H., & Yu, T. (2017). Family support as a moderator of the relationship between loneliness and suicide risk in college students: Having a supportive family matters! The Family Journal, 25(3), 257–263. https://doi.org/10.1177/1066480717711102
Data analysis. (2015). In T. A. Schwandt (Ed.), The SAGE dictionary of qualitative inquiry (4th ed., Vol. 1, pp. 57–65). SAGE Publications.
Davidson, C. R., Turner-McGrievy, G. M., HilfingerMessias, D. K., Friedman, D. B., & Robillard, A. G. (2021). The roles of campus ministry leaders: Guiding students through the transition to adulthood. The Journal of Pastoral Care and Counseling, 75(2), 92–102. https://doi.org/10.1177/1542305020987148
Davidson, C. R., Turner-McGrievy, G. M., HilfingerMessias, D. K., Friedman, D. B., Robillard, A. G., Schwiesow, J., & Warren, P. (2020). Campus ministry leaders promoting student mental health at a large public university in the southeast United States. Mental Health, Religion and Culture, 23(1), 67–79. https://doi.org/10.1080/13674676.2020.1718068
Dazzi, T., Gribble, R., Wessely, S., & Fear, N. T. (2014). Does asking about suicide and related behaviours induce suicidal ideation? What is the evidence? Psychological Medicine, 44(16), 3361–3363. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291714001299
De Leo, D., Burgis, S., Bertolote, J. M., Kerkhof, A. J. F. M., & Bille-Brahe, U. (2006). Definitions of suicidal behavior: Lessons learned from the WHO/EURO multicentre study. Crisis, 27(1), 4–15. https://doi.org/10.1027/0227-5910.27.1.4
De Leo, D., Goodfellow, B., Silverman, M., Berman, A., Mann, J., Arensman, E., Hawton, K., Phillips, M. R., Vijayakumar, L., Andriessen, K., Chavez-Hernandez, A.-M., Heisel, M., & Kõlves, K. (2021). International study of definitions of English-language terms for suicidal behaviours: A survey exploring preferred terminology. BMJ Open, 11(2), e043409. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-043409
Dervic, K., Carballo, J. J., Baca-Garcia, E., Galfalvy, H. C., Mann, J. J., Brent, D. A., & Oquendo, M. A. (2011). Moral or religious objections to suicide may protect against suicidal behavior in bipolar disorder. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 72(10), 1390–1396. https://doi.org/10.4088/JCP.09m05910gre
du Roscoät, E., & Beck, F. (2013). Efficient interventions on suicide prevention: A literature review. Revue D’épidémiologie Et De Santé Publique, 61(4), 363–374. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respe.2013.01.099
Etikan, I., Musa, S. A., & Alkassim, R. S. (2016). Comparison of convenience sampling and purposive sampling. American Journal of Theoretical and Applied Statistics, 5(1), 1–4. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajtas.20160501.11
Gordon, R. S., Jr. (1983). An operational classification of disease prevention. Public Health Reports, 98(2), 107–109.
Grøtan, K., Sund, E. R., & Bjerkeset, O. (2019). Mental Health, academic self-efficacy and study progress among college students—The SHoT study, Norway. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 45. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00045
Haddon, W., Jr. (1968). The changing approach to the epidemiology, prevention, and amelioration of trauma: The transition to approaches etiologically rather than descriptively based. American Journal of Public Health and the Nation’s Health, 58(8), 1431–1438. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.58.8.1431
Handzo, G., & Koenig, H. G. (2004). Spiritual care: Whose job is it anyway? Southern Medical Journal, 97(12), 1242–1244. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.SMJ.0000146490.49723.AE
Harding, S. R., Flannelly, K. J., Galek, K., & Tannenbaum, H. P. (2008). Spiritual care, pastoral care, and chaplains: Trends in the health care literature. Journal of Health Care Chaplaincy, 14(2), 99–117. https://doi.org/10.1080/08854720802129067
Hastings, M. E., Northman, L. M., & Tangney, J. P. (2002). Shame, guilt, and suicide. In T. Joiner & M. D. Rudd (Eds.), Suicide science: Expanding the boundaries (pp. 67–79). Springer.
Holm-Hadulla, R. M., & Koutsoukou-Argyraki, A. (2015). Mental health of students in a globalized world: Prevalence of complaints and disorders, methods and effectivity of counseling, structure of mental health services for students. Mental Health & Prevention, 3(1), 1–4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mhp.2015.04.003
Huber, M., van Vliet, M., Giezenberg, M., Winkens, B., Heerkens, Y., Dagnelie, P. C., & Knottnerus, J. A. (2016). Towards a ‘patient-centred’ operationalisation of the new dynamic concept of health: A mixed methods study. BMJ Open, 6(1), e010091. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2015-010091
Jamieson, N., Carey, L. B., Jamieson, A., & Maple, M. (2023). Examining the association between moral injury and suicidal behavior in military populations: A systematic review. Journal of Religion and Health, 62(6), 3904–3925. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-023-01885-6
Joiner, T. (2005). Why people die by suicide. Harvard University Press.
Jordan, J. R. (2017). Postvention is prevention—The case for suicide postvention. Death Studies, 41(10), 614–621. https://doi.org/10.1080/07481187.2017.1335544
Kalafat, J., & Lester, D. (2000). Shame and suicide: A case study. Death Studies, 24(2), 157–162. https://doi.org/10.1080/074811800200621
Kealy, D., Treeby, M. S., & Rice, S. M. (2021). Shame, guilt, and suicidal thoughts: The interaction matters. The British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 60(3), 414–423. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjc.12291
King, D. E. (2000). Faith, spirituality and medicine: Toward the making of a healing practitioner. Haworth Pastoral Press.
King, K. A. (2001). Developing a comprehensive school suicide prevention program. Journal of School Health, 71(4), 132–137.
Klonsky, E. D., Dixon-Luinenburg, T., & May, A. M. (2021). The critical distinction between suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. World Psychiatry, 20(3), 439–441. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20909
Kopacz, M. S., Nieuwsma, J. A., Jackson, G. L., Rhodes, J. E., Cantrell, W. C., Bates, M. J., & Meador, K. G. (2016). Chaplains’ engagement with suicidality among their service users: Findings from the VA/DoD integrated mental health strategy. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 46(2), 206–212. https://doi.org/10.1111/sltb.12184
Kress, V., Sperth, M., Hofmann, F., & Holm-Hadulla, R. M. (2015). Psychological complaints of students: A comparison of field samples with clients of a counseling service at a typical German University. Mental Health & Prevention, 3(1), 41–47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mhp.2015.04.002
Kutash, K., Duchnowski, A. J., & Lynn, N. (2006). School-based mental health: An empirical guide for decision-makers. University of South Florida.
Lai, M. H., Maniam, T., Chan, L. F., & Ravindran, A. V. (2014). Caught in the web: A review of web-based suicide prevention. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 16(1), e30. https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.2973
Lalani, N. (2020). Meanings and interpretations of spirituality in nursing and health. Religions, 11(9), 428. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel11090428
Larcombe, W., Finch, S., Sore, R., Murray, C. M., Kentish, S., Mulder, R. A., Lee-Stecum, P., Baik, C., Tokatlidis, O., & Williams, D. A. (2016). Prevalence and socio-demographic correlates of psychological distress among students at an Australian university. Studies in Higher Education, 41(6), 1074–1091. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2014.966072
Lattie, E. G., Lipson, S. K., & Eisenberg, D. (2019). Technology and college student mental health: Challenges and opportunities. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 10, 246. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00246
Lawton, A., Anderson, A., & Cadge, W. (2023). Nonreligious chaplains and spiritual care. Religions, 14(9), 1166. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14091166
Leenaars, A. A. (2004). Psychotherapy with suicidal people: A person-centred approach. Wiley.
Lipson, S. K., Zhou, S., Abelson, S., Heinze, J., Jirsa, M., Morigney, J., Patterson, A., Singh, M., & Eisenberg, D. (2022). Trends in college student mental health and help-seeking by race/ethnicity: Findings from the national healthy minds study, 2013–2021. Journal of Affective Disorders, 306(1), 138–147. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2022.03.038
Luo, X., Wang, Q., Wang, X., & Cai, T. (2016). Reasons for living and hope as the protective factors against suicidality in Chinese patients with depression: A cross sectional study. BMC Psychiatry, 16, 252. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-016-0960-0
McKee, D. D., & Chappel, J. N. (1992). Spirituality and medical practice. The Journal of Family Practice, 35(2), 201–208.
Mrazek, P. J., & Haggerty, R. J., Institute of Medicine (U.S.) Committee on Prevention of Mental Disorders. (Eds.) (1994). Reducing risks for mental disorders: Frontiers for preventive intervention research. National Academy Press.
National Research Council, and Institute of Medicine. (2009). Preventing mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders among young people: Progress and possibilities (M. E. O’Connell, T. Boat, & K. E. Warner, Eds.). National Academies Press.
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2021). Education at a glance 2021: OECD indicators. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/b35a14e5-en
Orygen. (2017). Under the radar. The mental health of Australian university students. Orygen. https://www.orygen.org.au/Orygen-Institute/Policy-Reports/Under-the-radar/Orygen-Under_the_radar_report?ext=
Pancer, S. M. (2014). Prevention. In T. Teo (Ed.), Encyclopedia of critical psychology (pp. 1498–1500). Springer.
Polihronis, C., Cloutier, P., Kaur, J., Skinner, R., & Cappelli, M. (2022). What’s the harm in asking? A systematic review and meta-analysis on the risks of asking about suicide-related behaviors and self-harm with quality appraisal. Archives of Suicide Research, 26(2), 325–347. https://doi.org/10.1080/13811118.2020.1793857
Probert-Lindström, S., Berge, J., Westrin, Å., Öjehagen, A., & SkogmanPavulans, K. (2020). Long-term risk factors for suicide in suicide attempters examined at a medical emergency in patient unit: Results from a 32-year follow-up study. BMJ open, 10(10), e038794. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-038794
Puchalski, C. M., Vitillo, R., Hull, S. K., & Reller, N. (2014). Improving the spiritual dimension of whole person care: Reaching national and international consensus. Journal of Palliative Medicine, 17(6), 642–656. https://doi.org/10.1089/jpm.2014.9427
Qiu, T., Klonsky, E. D., & Klein, D. N. (2017). Hopelessness predicts suicide ideation but not attempts: A 10-year longitudinal study. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 47(6), 718–722. https://doi.org/10.1111/sltb.12328
R U OK? (n.d.). Conversation guide. https://irp.cdn-website.com/22b3e3c9/files/uploaded/COMM_All_ConversationGuide_230907.pdf
Ramchand, R., Ayer, L., Geyer, L., & Kofner, A. (2015). Army chaplains’ perceptions about identifying, intervening, and referring soldiers at risk of suicide. Spirituality in Clinical Practice, 2(1), 36–47. https://doi.org/10.1037/scp0000053
Ramchand, R., Ayer, L., Geyer, L., & Kofner, A. (2016). Factors that influence chaplains’ suicide intervention behavior in the army. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 46(1), 35–45. https://doi.org/10.1111/sltb.12170
Russell, J., Quaack, K. R., & Nunez, J. (2022). Chaplain reported plans for end-of-life care conversations: Role clarity for the spiritual care specialists. Journal of Health Care Chaplaincy, 29(4), 337–352. https://doi.org/10.1080/08854726.2022.2087965
Saliba, S. M. (2020). The role of Catholic campus ministry staff in preventing suicidal behaviour amongst university students and supporting the bereaved. A qualitative empirical study into campus ministry staff at one Australian university [Master’s thesis, Catholic University of Leuven]. Retrieved from https://repository-teneo-libis-be.kuleuven.e-bronnen.be/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE14193557
Saliba, S. M., Fält, B., O’Connell, D., Sjöberg, T., Sørensen, U. B. H., Steegen, M., Turner, J., & Vandenhoeck, A. (2022). The importance of timing, fundamental attitudes, and appropriate interventions as key aspects of chaplain suicide prevention: A European expert panel of mental health chaplains. The Journal of Pastoral Care and Counseling, 77(2), 113–122. https://doi.org/10.1177/15423050221141047
Sheehy, K., Noureen, A., Khaliq, A., Dhingra, K., Husain, N., Pontin, E. E., Cawley, R., & Taylor, P. J. (2019). An examination of the relationship between shame, guilt and self-harm: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review, 73, 101779. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2019.101779
Shneidman, E. S. (1969). On the nature of suicide. Jossey-Bass.
Shneidman, E. S. (1972). Foreword. In A. C. Cain (Ed.), Survivors of suicide. Charles C. Thomas.
Stuckey, H. L. (2013). Three types of interviews: Qualitative research methods in social health. Journal of Social Health and Diabetes, 1(2), 56–59. https://doi.org/10.4103/2321-0656.115294
Sulmasy, D. P. (2002). A biopsychosocial-spiritual model for the care of patients at the end of life. The Gerontologist, 42(Suppl. 3), 24–33. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/42.suppl_3.24
Szeto, E. H., Ammendola, E., Starkey, A., Hay, J., McClung, J. G., & Bryan, C. J. (2023). Differences in guilt, shame, self-anger, and suicide cognitions based on recent suicide ideation and lifetime suicide attempt history. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 211(3), 226–232. https://doi.org/10.1097/NMD.0000000000001592
Szilagyi, C., Lion, A. H., Varner Perez, S. E., Koch, S., Oyedele, O., Slaven, J. E., Montz, K., Haase, J. E., & Puchalski, C. M. (2022). Interprofessional spiritual care education in pediatric hematology-oncology: A pilot study. Pediatric Blood and Cancer, 69(3), e29515. https://doi.org/10.1002/pbc.29515
van den Brink, B., Schaap, H., & Braam, A. W. (2018). Moral objections and fear of hell: An important barrier to suicidality. Journal of Religion and Health, 57(6), 2301–2312. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-018-0573-7
Vandenhoeck, A. (2013). Chaplains as specialists in spiritual care for patients in Europe. Polskie Archiwum Medycyny Wewnetrznej, 123(10), 552–557.
Wæraas, A. (2022). Thematic analysis: Making values emerge from texts. In G. Espedal, B. J. Løvaas, S. Sirris, & A. Wæraas (Eds.), Researching values: Methodological approaches for understanding values work in organisations and leadership (pp. 153–170). Palgrave Macmillan.
Wagner, D. (2019). Spiritueller Missbrauch in der katholischen Kirche [Spiritual abuse in the Catholic Church]. Herder.
Weathers, E., McCarthy, G., & Coffey, A. (2016). Concept analysis of spirituality: An evolutionary approach. Nursing Forum, 51(2), 79–96. https://doi.org/10.1111/nuf.12128
Weisz, J. R., Sandler, I. N., Durlak, J. A., & Anton, B. S. (2005). Promoting and protecting youth mental health through evidence-based prevention and treatment. American Psychologist, 60(6), 628–648. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.60.6.628
Woggon, F. (2003). “For the hatching of our hearts”: Friendship, pastoral care, and the formation for ministry. Journal of Pastoral Care and Counseling, 57(3), 257–267. https://doi.org/10.1177/154230500305700302
World Health Organization. (2021). Suicide. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/suicide
Funding
The author is a Research Foundation Flanders (FWO) fundamental research fellow (1144722N). The author declares that no additional funds, grants, or financial support were received during the preparation of this manuscript.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The author has no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.
Ethical Approval
Ethics approval was granted by the Social and Societal Ethics Committee of the KU Leuven on 5 December 2019 (dossier no. G-2019 11 1850).
Consent to Participate
Informed consent was obtained from all participants included in the study.
Consent to Publish
All participants provided informed consent for the publication of research results.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Saliba, S.M. The University Chaplain: An Often Unrecognised Resource in Suicide Prevention—Initial Qualitative Results from Exploratory Research into the Roles of University Chaplains at One Australian University. J Relig Health 63, 1934–1953 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-024-02030-7
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-024-02030-7