Postgraduate research students

Veterinary suicide risk is elevated in many countries. Although factors affecting veterinary risk have been much debated, rigorous examination of these is lacking. In addition, work to examine suicide risk for veterinary nurses, veterinary technicians, and students of all three professions, is largely absent – with most of the focus on veterinary surgeons. This research project focuses on advancing our understanding of veterinary suicide risk to better inform veterinary suicide prevention efforts. Particularly how suicidal ideation develops and the transition from thinking about suicide to attempting suicide or dying by suicide are the foci of this study.
 
The Integrated Motivational-Volitional (IMV) Model of Suicidal Behaviour (IMV; O'Connor, 2011), is a theoretical model which details the factors associated with  the emergence of suicidal ideation as being distinct from those associated with the transition between suicidal ideation and suicide attempts/suicide (O'Connor and Kirtley, 2018). This study, informed by the IMV model, will seek to better understand how suicidal ideation develops in veterinary professionals and how for some people this progresses to action.
 
By studying veterinary professionals’ experiences of defeat and entrapment, key components of the IMV model, which can drive the emergence of suicidal ideation and the role of volitional moderators (including access to the means of suicide, exposure to suicidal behaviour, and capability for suicide) which can influence the transition from suicidal ideation to suicidal behaviour, this research aims to better understand veterinary suicide risk.
 
Better understanding of suicide risk among veterinary professionals will help us to develop evidence-informed interventions to help those in crisis, and to challenge stigma around mental health and suicide prevention. The findings will also inform the training of veterinary professionals and the provision of support.
 
This research will seek to answer two main questions:
 
 1 : What is the prevalence of suicidal ideation/thinking and suicidal behaviour (including death by suicide) in veterinary professionals? 
 
2 : What psychosocial factors increase, or are protective against, suicidal ideation/thinking and behaviour in veterinary professionals?
 
For the purposes of this study, veterinary professionals are defined as veterinary surgeons/veterinarians, veterinary nurses, veterinary technicians, and students of all three professions.

• Professor Rory O'Connor
• Dr Seonaid Cleare