Psychology A single conversation can prevent suicide attempts
Even brief conversations after a suicide attempt can prevent those at risk from making another attempt. This is shown by an overview study by researchers from Zurich.
17.03.2026, 09:28
SDA
"Even a single structured session can be effective," said Stephanie Homan, first author of the study, in a press release issued by the University of Zurich (UZH) on Tuesday.
According to the researchers, people who have already attempted suicide have a significantly higher risk of further attempts. However, conventional psychotherapeutic treatments are often time-consuming and associated with long waiting times, as the researchers noted in the study. Only around a third of those affected receive further outpatient treatment after a suicide attempt.
This is where Brief Interventions and Contact (BIC) come into play: short, structured measures. Such BICs comprise one to twelve sessions and range from short psychotherapeutic conversations, telephone calls and postcards to safety planning for crisis situations.
28 percent fewer suicide attempts
For the study, the researchers investigated the effectiveness of such brief interventions. The result: these measures reduce the risk of another suicide attempt by 28 percent.
For their analysis, the researchers evaluated data from 33 studies from 1993 to 2025, which included a total of around 9550 adult participants from Europe, America, Asia, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand.
"These brief interventions are particularly important in emergency rooms, on psychiatric wards or in outpatient care - wherever human and financial resources are limited," continues Homan. They are particularly suitable following emergency treatment or after a hospital discharge.
At the same time, the study author emphasizes that brief interventions cannot replace more intensive therapies. Rather, they offer quick, initial support and can be part of comprehensive prevention strategies.
The study was published in the specialist journal "eClinicalMedicine".
