Classifying coping strategies from suicide prevention safety plans

AbstractIntroductionUnderstanding the specific strategies individuals use to cope with their suicidal thoughts may have implications for suicide prevention. This study developed a classification system of coping strategies and applied this system to individual coping behaviors documented in a safety planning intervention smartphone application called Beyond Now.Method725 Beyond Now safety planning app users, aged 16 to over 55 years, entered coping strategies that were used to develop a classification system through content analysis. Entries were either user generated or selected from a list of suggested coping strategies, and 2960 entries were classified using the system.ResultsOur classification system featured 11 distinct descriptive categories, with media consumption being the most popular coping strategy among Beyond Now users, followed by relaxation and self‐care activities, exercise and creative activities. More than half (57%) of the entries were suggested coping strategies with the remainder being user‐generated entries (43%).ConclusionA wide range of coping strategies were entered into safety plans, with activities that aim to either distract or provide reductions in emotional arousal common. Future research is needed to evaluate the efficacy of the coping strategies listed in safety plans.