title: Clinical psychologists' firearm risk management perceptions and practices.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the current perceptions and practices of discussing firearm risk management with patients diagnosed with selected mental health problems. A three-wave survey was mailed to a national random sample of clinical psychologists and 339 responded (62%). The majority (78.5%) believed firearm safety issues were greater among those with mental health problems. However, the majority of clinical psychologists did not have a routine system for identifying patients with access to firearms (78.2%). Additionally, the majority (78.8%) reported they did not routinely chart or keep a record of whether patients owned or had access to firearms. About one-half (51.6%) of the clinical psychologists reported they would initiate firearm safety counseling if the patients were assessed as at risk for self-harm or harm to others. Almost half (46%) of clinical psychologists reported not receiving any information on firearm safety issues. Thus, the findings of this study suggest that a more formal role regarding anticipatory guidance on firearms is needed in the professional training of clinical psychologists.
authors.affiliation: Family Studies & Social Work, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056, USA. kinnisar@muohio.edu
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Traylor
authors.forename: James H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Price
authors.forename: Susan K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Telljohann
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thompson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003376:Counseling; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D005389:Firearms; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D028642:Persons with Psychiatric Disorders; D008875:Middle Aged; D011364:Professional Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011586:Psychology, Clinical; D012308:Risk Management; D012449:Safety