title: Origins of suicidality: compatibility of lay and expert beliefs - qualitative study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Today there exist different views on origins of suicidal behaviour, which can influence the help-seeking behaviour and the adherence to the treatment of suicidal people.
  
  
  METHODS
  The beliefs lay people and patients have about the origins of suicidal behaviour as well as the compatibility of their beliefs with the views of the mental health personnel (general practitioners and psychiatrists) were assessed. 45 semi-structured interviews with the general population, suicide attempters, general practitioners and psychiatrists were conducted, audio typed, transcribed and a thematic analysis of the data was carried out.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results indicated the incompatibility of the views. The general population and the suicide attempters favoured psychological explanations of suicidal behaviour, whereas the general practitioners and psychiatrists promoted medical explanations. The only common theme was perception of the suicidal crisis as a crucial factor in suicidality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lay people and experts believe that suicidal crisis is the main origin of suicidal behaviour. The awareness of this common denominator and also of the differences in opinions between lay people and experts should be kept in mind when planning and implementing prevention and treatment programmes if we wish to promote help-seeking behaviour and attain good adherence to treatment.
authors.affiliation: University Psychiatric Hospital Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia. tina.zadravec@psih-klinika.si
authors.forename: Tina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zadravec
authors.forename: Onja
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Grad
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D058005:General Practitioners / Q000523:psychology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000379:methods; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult