Table 2.
Impact of ASIST on Counselors' Interventions
| Without ASIST Training (N=646) |
With ASIST Training (N=764) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean | (SD) | Mean | (SD) | |
| Global Counselor Behaviors | ||||
| Duration of call (minutes) | 24.4 | (17.1) | 27.1 | (18.7) |
| B=3.17 (1.05–5.29) p<.01 | ||||
| Counselor positive behaviors (total score) | 17.8 | (5.3) | 16.9 | (4.9) |
| B=0.18 (−1.53–1.17) p=.80 | ||||
| Counselor negative behaviors (total score) | 0.4 | (1.3) | 0.5 | (1.5) |
| B=0.01 (−0.16 – 0.17)p=.90 | ||||
| Overall effectiveness of intervention | 3.7 | (1.0) | 3.6 | (1.0) |
| B=0.02 (−0.17 –+0.21)p=.84 | ||||
| ASIST Model "Connecting" | ||||
| Invitations revealed by callers | 7.2 | (3.5) | 8.4 | (3.9) |
| B=1.41 (0.97–1.86) p <.0001 | ||||
| No | % | No | % | |
| ASIST Model "Understanding" | ||||
| Counselor tried to link caller's invitations to suicidal thoughts | 461/643 | 71.7 | 621/764 | 81.3 |
| Counselor asked/explored caller’s: | OR= 2.10 (1.49–2.95) p<.0001 | |||
| Current suicide thoughts | 604 | 93.6 | 703 | 92.1 |
| OR=0.92 (0.53–1.58) p=.75 | ||||
| Current plans | 394 | 61.0 | 448 | 58.6 |
| OR=1.00 (0.68–1.47) p=.99 | ||||
| Current actions | 142 | 22.0 | 180 | 23.6 |
| OR=1.28 (0.91–1.82) p=.16 | ||||
| Current Intent | 259 | 40.1 | 300 | 39.3 |
| OR=0.98 (0.76–1.27) p=.87 | ||||
| Prior thoughts | 178/526 | 33.8 | 223/633 | 35.2 |
| OR=0.99 (0.70–1.41) p=.96 | ||||
| Prior attempts | 309 | 47.8 | 366 | 47.9 |
| OR=0.87 (0.63–1.18) p=.36 | ||||
| Reasons for dying | 377/643 | 58.6 | 488/763 | 64.0 |
| OR=1.22 (0.91–1.62) p=.23 | ||||
| Reasons for living | 207/645 | 32.1 | 271/763 | 35.5 |
| OR=1.46 (1.03–2.07 p <.05 | ||||
| Ambivalence | 101/645 | 15.7 | 174/763 | 22.8 |
| OR=1.65 (1.19–2.28) p<.01 | ||||
| ASIST Model "Assisting" | ||||
| Safe plan offered/explored by counselor: | ||||
| Disabling of suicide plan | 25/259 | 9.7 | 41/298 | 13.8 |
| OR=1.48 (0.73–3.01) p=.28 | ||||
| Managing of psychological pain | 268 | 41.5 | 350 | 45.8 |
| OR =1.25 (0.93–1.68) p=.14 | ||||
| Past survival skills | 113 | 17.5 | 134 | 17.5 |
| OR=1.01 (0.65–1.57) p=.97 | ||||
| Safe/no use of alcohol/drugs | 37 | 5.7 | 54 | 7.1 |
| OR =1.26 (0.74–2.15) p=.40 | ||||
| Ensuring caller not alone | 111 | 17.2 | 114 | 14.9 |
| OR =0.82 (0.55–1.21) p=.31 | ||||
| Informal support contacts | 250 | 38.7 | 344 | 45.0 |
| OR =1.50 (1.11–2.04) p<.01 | ||||
| Personal/internal resources | 275 | 42.6 | 270 | 35.3 |
| OR=0.85 (0.67–1.09) p=.19 | ||||
| Formal resources | 397 | 61.5 | 486 | 63.6 |
| OR=1.20 (0.92–1.56) p=.17 | ||||