A Pilot Investigation of the Operationalized Predicaments of Suicide (OPS) Framework
- Author:
Saxby Pridmore
;
Pim Kuipers
;
Abdul Majeed Zainab
;
Sam Restifo
;
Adrian Lee
;
Julie Appleton
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
mental health, suicide, public health, social medicine
- From:Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences
2012;19(3):50-56
- CountryMalaysia
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Background: Suicide may be conceptualized as an escape from intolerable predicaments, in particular, mental illness and environmental stressors. The operationalized predicaments of suicide (OPS) is a 4 category framework designed to assist in the classification of suicide. The objective was to examine whether this framework is potentially useful.
Method: 18 psychiatrists from 6 different countries examined 12 written coroners’ reports of suicide and rated each report according to the OPS. 16 of these raters then also completed a qualitative questionnaire regarding the framework.
Results: In 89.8% of cases the raters where able to make a decision regarding the drivers which led to the suicides. The respondents displayed modest inter-rater correlation (Kappa = 0.42; P < 0.0001). In the qualitative section, respondents supported the face validity of OPS and considered it potentially useful. Feedback allowed improved wording of the OPS instructions.
Conclusion: The OPS has potential as a useful framework. The OPS instructions have been improved and further studies are justified.
- Full text:W020151027354408302881.pdf
