Interventions to Prevent Suicidality Among Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Suicidal behaviors, which include intentions, attempts, and completions to end one’s life, are significantly associated with intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization. Although preventive efforts in the face of violence survivors’ suicidality are growing, such endeavors are still inconsistent and insufficient. Additionally, to date there has been no attempt to identify and synthesize existing intervention programs and services to prevent IPV survivors’ suicidality. To help advance practice and fill evidence gaps, this study aims to review interventions for IPV survivors focusing on suicide prevention. Using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, peer-reviewed articles and the gray literature were accessed via databases searches and reference harvesting. The results of this comprehensive literature review found three intervention programs in six documents. The findings were generally mixed although a culturally informed, empowerment-focused psychoeducational group intervention showed promise in reducing IPV survivors’ suicidality. Additional intervention development and research are needed to establish evidence for efficacious interventions to address IPV survivors’ suicidality. Despite the limited number of intervention programs, this review is the first attempt to synthesize existing interventions to prevent IPV survivors’ suicidality. Accordingly, this effort contributes by providing a starting point for further development of existing programs, as well as for the development of new and promising interventions. Likewise, the review provides recommendations to help encourage researchers to increase their attention toward conducting intervention studies concerning suicide prevention and response for IPV survivors.