Page 20 - Intuition, Imagination and Innovation in Suicidology Conference. 13th Triple i | Koper · Slovenia | 31 May–1 June 2022
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h Triple i | Koper · Slovenia | 31 May–1 June 2022 Ethical Issues in Suicide Research
and Clinical Work
Invited lecture · Vita Poštuvan
Assoc. Prof. Vita Poštuvan works as a researcher and Deputy Head of the Slovene
Centre for Suicide Research (UP IAM) and Department of Psychology (FAMNIT) at
the University of Primorska. She leads the work related to clinical-research and
public-health interventions in suicidology, bereavement, crisis interventions and
psychotherapy. She has participated in major European and Slovenian studies in
the field of (public) mental health, suicidology and psychology, which were pu-
blished in international journals. She has worked at the National Center of Neu-
rology and Psychiatry (NCNP) in Tokyo, Japan as well as in the Suicide Research
Group, Department for Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy, Medical University
of Vienna, Austria, as a fellow researcher. Her professional work is also focused
on psychological counselling, psychotherapy and prevention. As a psychological
counsellor and cognitive-behavioural therapist she offers psychological support
for students and individuals and implements mindfulness-based cognitive the-
rapy. She is a member of national unit for psychological research within the civil
protection.
Abstract. Suicidal behaviour arouses strong emotions and raises many ethi-
cal questions. The most obvious ethical dilemmas for professionals revolve
around respect for the rights and dignity of the person, especially when so-
meone harms himself or herself to the point of requiring involuntary hospi-
talisation. In these cases, respect for autonomy and principles of beneficence
collide. Nowadays, we know the negative aspects of involuntary hospitalisa-
tion, such as the shame of being suicidal, the shame of a failed suicide at-
tempt, and the high suicide rate after the first week of discharge from the
hospital. In addition, suicidality often brings into conflict other ethical prin-
ciples that will be discussed during the presentation.
20 https://doi.org/10.26493/978-961-293-184-1.9
and Clinical Work
Invited lecture · Vita Poštuvan
Assoc. Prof. Vita Poštuvan works as a researcher and Deputy Head of the Slovene
Centre for Suicide Research (UP IAM) and Department of Psychology (FAMNIT) at
the University of Primorska. She leads the work related to clinical-research and
public-health interventions in suicidology, bereavement, crisis interventions and
psychotherapy. She has participated in major European and Slovenian studies in
the field of (public) mental health, suicidology and psychology, which were pu-
blished in international journals. She has worked at the National Center of Neu-
rology and Psychiatry (NCNP) in Tokyo, Japan as well as in the Suicide Research
Group, Department for Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy, Medical University
of Vienna, Austria, as a fellow researcher. Her professional work is also focused
on psychological counselling, psychotherapy and prevention. As a psychological
counsellor and cognitive-behavioural therapist she offers psychological support
for students and individuals and implements mindfulness-based cognitive the-
rapy. She is a member of national unit for psychological research within the civil
protection.
Abstract. Suicidal behaviour arouses strong emotions and raises many ethi-
cal questions. The most obvious ethical dilemmas for professionals revolve
around respect for the rights and dignity of the person, especially when so-
meone harms himself or herself to the point of requiring involuntary hospi-
talisation. In these cases, respect for autonomy and principles of beneficence
collide. Nowadays, we know the negative aspects of involuntary hospitalisa-
tion, such as the shame of being suicidal, the shame of a failed suicide at-
tempt, and the high suicide rate after the first week of discharge from the
hospital. In addition, suicidality often brings into conflict other ethical prin-
ciples that will be discussed during the presentation.
20 https://doi.org/10.26493/978-961-293-184-1.9
