Beyond risk factors: a mixed-methods study of interpersonal dynamics in suicide attempts and reattempts from police narratives
- 1School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, USA
Abstract
Background: Each year, approximately 1.5 million Americans attempt suicide, and repeated attempts pose heightened risks for individuals, families, and communities. These attempts can result in long-lasting injuries, isolation, and psychological distress. Research relies heavily on structured quantitative data, limiting insight into interpersonal and situational dynamics. Although mental health concerns are well-established risk factors for suicidal behavior, it remains unclear which concerns predict reattempts. We address these gaps using four years (2018–2021) of police service-call data (N = 2,659 incidents) from one Midwestern city. Using a mixed-methods design, we conduct thematic analysis of officer narratives to explore the situational context of suicide attempts and estimate logistic regression models to examine whether mental health concerns are associated with repeated attempts.
Results: Qualitatively, seven themes, including relationship conflict, health issues, and general life stressors, are identified, reflecting interpersonal dynamics consistent with the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide. Quantitatively, however, police-documented mental health concerns are not significantly associated with repeated attempts. These null findings should be interpreted cautiously, as they may reflect limitations in police documentation.
Conclusions: Together, these findings highlight the value of mixed-methods approaches for police data research, the need for standardized crisis documentation practices, and the importance of improving officer training and integrating mental health professionals into crisis response. They also underscore the importance of understanding the interpersonal context to aid suicide prevention and intervention efforts.
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BibTeX
@article{falatah2026beyond,
title = {{Beyond risk factors: a mixed-methods study of interpersonal dynamics in suicide attempts and reattempts from police narratives}},
author = {Sarah Al Falatah and Jennifer Tostlebe and Sadaf Hashimi},
journal = {Health \& justice},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.1186/s40352-026-00443-y},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13729607},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Beyond risk factors: a mixed-methods study of interpersonal dynamics in suicide attempts and reattempts from police narratives
AU - Sarah Al Falatah
AU - Jennifer Tostlebe
AU - Sadaf Hashimi
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/06
JO - Health & justice
DO - 10.1186/s40352-026-00443-y
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13729607
AB - Background: Each year, approximately 1.5 million Americans attempt suicide, and repeated attempts pose heightened risks for individuals, families, and communities. These attempts can result in long-lasting injuries, isolation, and psychological distress. Research relies heavily on structured quantitative data, limiting insight into interpersonal and situational dynamics. Although mental health concerns are well-established risk factors for suicidal behavior, it remains unclear which concerns predict reattempts. We address these gaps using four years (2018–2021) of police service-call data (N = 2,659 incidents) from one Midwestern city. Using a mixed-methods design, we conduct thematic analysis of officer narratives to explore the situational context of suicide attempts and estimate logistic regression models to examine whether mental health concerns are associated with repeated attempts. Results: Qualitatively, seven themes, including relationship conflict, health issues, and general life stressors, are identified, reflecting interpersonal dynamics consistent with the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide. Quantitatively, however, police-documented mental health concerns are not significantly associated with repeated attempts. These null findings should be interpreted cautiously, as they may reflect limitations in police documentation. Conclusions: Together, these findings highlight the value of mixed-methods approaches for police data research, the need for standardized crisis documentation practices, and the importance of improving officer training and integrating mental health professionals into crisis response. They also underscore the importance of understanding the interpersonal context to aid suicide prevention and intervention efforts.
SN - 2194-7899
ER -