Introduction: Suicidal behavior represents one of the greatest public health challenges, in
which occupational therapists play an important role in identifying and treating at-risk
individuals. However, their role in preventing suicide is overlooked and under-supported.
Purpose: The aim is to analyze the relevant literature and find out what is known so far
about occupational therapists practice in treating individuals with suicidal behaviors and to
determine the competences, experience and knowledge of occupational therapists in this
area. Methods: A literature review was conducted. The search took place since October to
November 2024 in the databases: Cinahl, PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. Articles
were searched by keywords in the English language. Articles in the analysis were selected
according to inclusion criteria, relevance rating, and quality rating. Results: 8 articles were
included in the final analysis, and their results were presented both descriptive and
thematically. According to the content of the articles, five themes were formed: lack of self
confidence, need for additional education, competemce in working with people with suicidal
behaviors, special educational programs aimed the dealing with people with suicidal
behaviors and knowledge acquired during the study process. Discussion and conclusion:
The competencies of occupational therapists in the treatment of individuals with suicidal
behaviors are crcial for effective treatment. Key competencies include the ability to
recognize warning signs, assess risk and intervene appropriately, and engage the individual
in meaningful interventions. However, many occupational therapists report a lack of
competencies and knowledge in this area. The lack of specific skills is often the result of a
deficient educational process that does not include content on suicide management. Clear
guidelines fort he acquistion of specific competencies and an improved education system are
needed to play a more effective role for occupational therapists in suicide prevention. A
systematic approach to education, combining theoretical knowledge and practical
experience, would increase the quality of occupational therapists' work.
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