Why Suicide Risk Assessment is Ineffective and What to do Instead with Dr. Matthew Large

Psychotherapy and Applied Psychology: Conversations with research experts about mental health and psychotherapy for those interested in research, practice, and training

In this conversation, Dan chats with Dr. Matthew Large about his experiences in the field of mental health, his research on suicide prediction, and how Suicide Risk Assessment can often times be ineffective.
Dan and Dr. Large dive into a number of hard-hitting topics in this 7th episode: the challenges of balancing clinical work and research, the limitations of Suicide Risk Assessment, and more! Dr. Large shares personal stories on their career and what led to a life in medicine and psychiatry. They also touch on the progress and changes in the field of mental health, including the closure of asylums and the improvement in the treatment of mental illness. The conversation explores the limitations of suicide risk assessment and the over-reliance on categorizing patients as high or low risk. Dr. Large touches on how risk assessment tools have modest predictive abilities and that suicide is a complex and unpredictable phenomenon. Dan and Dr. Large suggest that clinicians should prioritize building rapport with patients and providing individualized care rather than relying solely on risk assessment.

💬 Click here to text the show!

🎞️ Video version of the show@PsychotherapyAppliedPsychology on YouTube
🛜 Check out the website: Listen to every episode on your podcast player of choice
Connect with Dan
☏ Leave a voice message on Speakpipe
🔗 LinkedIn
📬 [email protected]

🦋@danielwcox.bsky.social