{"id":114008,"date":"2023-07-06T10:18:09","date_gmt":"2023-07-06T14:18:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/?p=114008"},"modified":"2026-03-04T12:51:05","modified_gmt":"2026-03-04T17:51:05","slug":"object-62-1956-suicide-study","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/object-62-1956-suicide-study\/","title":{"rendered":"Object 62:  1956 \u201cClues to Suicide\u201d Study"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.kb-image114008_abfa0d-99.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .kb-image114008_abfa0d-99 .kb-image-is-ratio-size{max-width:500px;width:100%;}.wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image114008_abfa0d-99.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image114008_abfa0d-99 .kb-image-is-ratio-size{align-self:unset;}.kb-image114008_abfa0d-99 figure{max-width:500px;}.kb-image114008_abfa0d-99 .image-is-svg, .kb-image114008_abfa0d-99 .image-is-svg img{width:100%;}.kb-image114008_abfa0d-99 .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image114008_abfa0d-99\"><figure class=\"alignright size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/07\/062o-Title-page.png\" class=\"kb-advanced-image-link\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"761\" height=\"905\" src=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/07\/062o-Title-page.png?w=761\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/07\/062o-Title-page.png?w=761\" alt=\"Title page of the seminal research paper on suicide published by VA psychologists Edwin Shneidman and Norman Farberow in 1956. Insert: Shneidman and Farberow (NIH National Library of Medicine; IMDB.com)\" class=\"lazyload kb-img wp-image-114011\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27761%27%20height%3D%27905%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20761%20905%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27761%27%20height%3D%27905%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/07\/062o-Title-page.png?resize=252,300 252w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/07\/062o-Title-page.png?resize=505,600 505w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/07\/062o-Title-page.png 761w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 761px) 100vw, 761px\" \/><\/a><figcaption>Title page of the seminal research paper on suicide published by VA psychologists Edwin Shneidman and Norman Farberow in 1956. Insert: Shneidman and Farberow (NIH National Library of Medicine; IMDB.com)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While suicide takes a toll on lives in every segment of society, Veterans in the post 9-11 era have statistically been more at risk than adults in the general population. VA\u2019s efforts to combat the scourge of Veteran suicide owe a significant debt to the foundational research studies conducted by two VA psychologists in the 1950s. The work of Drs. Edwin S. Shneidman and Norman J. Farberow led to some of the earliest crisis intervention programs at VA and elsewhere and the establishment of the nation\u2019s first dedicated Suicide Prevention Center in Los Angeles, California. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The VA and its predecessor organizations made great strides in the treatment of mental ailments stemming from military service during the twentieth century. After World War I, the <a href=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/featured-stories\/veterans-bureau\/\">Veteran\u2019s Bureau<\/a> established the first <a href=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/100-objects\/64-public-health-service\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"114138\">specialized <\/a>neuropsychiatric hospitals to care for Veterans recovering from the trauma of war. In the decade after World War II, the <a href=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/featured-stories\/va-created\/\">Veterans Administration<\/a> expanded its capacity to treat Veterans with mental health disorders, operating 40 neuropsychiatric hospitals and providing out-patient services at dozens of clinics. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">VA also capitalized on its new academic affiliations program to connect its hospitals with the latest advances in medical school training. Despite all of the resources devoted to improving the mental well-being of Veterans, however, the subject of suicide received scant attention within VA or the larger community of mental health professionals. In an unpublished manuscript, Dr. Ferberow described suicide as \u201ca long- neglected, taboo-encrusted social and personal phenomenon.\u201d By the mid-1950s, more than 20,000 people a year were dying by their own hands; yet, the issue was poorly understood and shrouded in guilt and shame.<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-image114008_e09035-00.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .kb-image114008_e09035-00 .kb-image-is-ratio-size{max-width:550px;width:100%;}.wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image114008_e09035-00.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image114008_e09035-00 .kb-image-is-ratio-size{align-self:unset;}.kb-image114008_e09035-00 figure{max-width:550px;}.kb-image114008_e09035-00 .image-is-svg, .kb-image114008_e09035-00 .image-is-svg img{width:100%;}.kb-image114008_e09035-00 .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image114008_e09035-00\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/07\/062o-Suicide-Prevention-Center.jpg\" class=\"kb-advanced-image-link\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"943\" height=\"432\" src=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/07\/062o-Suicide-Prevention-Center.jpg?w=943\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/07\/062o-Suicide-Prevention-Center.jpg?w=943\" alt=\"Los Angeles Suicide Prevention Center\u2014the first of its kind and a model for centers the world over\u2014co-founded by Drs. Shneidman and Farberow in 1958. (didihirsch.org)\" class=\"lazyload kb-img wp-image-114010\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27943%27%20height%3D%27432%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20943%20432%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27943%27%20height%3D%27432%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/07\/062o-Suicide-Prevention-Center.jpg?resize=300,137 300w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/07\/062o-Suicide-Prevention-Center.jpg?resize=600,275 600w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/07\/062o-Suicide-Prevention-Center.jpg?resize=768,352 768w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/07\/062o-Suicide-Prevention-Center.jpg 943w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 943px) 100vw, 943px\" \/><\/a><figcaption>Los Angeles Suicide Prevention Center\u2014the first of its kind and a model for centers the world over\u2014co-founded by Drs. Shneidman and Farberow in 1958.  (didihirsch.org) <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Farberow and Shneidman, both psychologists working at VA facilities in Los Angeles, embarked on their joint investigation into the psychological aspects of suicide after the latter stumbled on a trove of suicide notes in the city\u2019s coroner office in 1949. They designed a three-part study using the notes, psychological test results, and psychiatric case histories of 128 Veterans who had been treated for &nbsp;mental health reasons at local VA hospitals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 128 subjects were split evenly among four categories: completed suicides, attempted suicides, threatened suicides, and non-suicides. They published the results of their research in a seminal paper titled \u201cClues to Suicide\u201d that appeared in a 1956 issue of the journal <em>Public Health Reports<\/em>. One of the most important findings from their study was that most individuals who had died by suicide had previously attempted or threatened to take their lives. They also found that about half of the suicides occurred within 90 days after an individual had \u201cpassed an emotional crisis and . . . seemed to be on the way to recovery.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 1956 article was only one of the many publications Farberow and Shneidman authored jointly, individually, or in collaboration with other specialists on the topic of suicide throughout their long and prolific careers. (Both men lived into their nineties and remained active in their field almost to the end). Their research and writings transformed the study of suicide or \u201csuicidology\u201d into a recognized academic discipline. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As a result of their work, what was once regarded as a taboo topic became recognized as a vital public health threat. At VA, they served as the co-principal investigators at the agency\u2019s Central Research Unit for the Study of Unpredicted Death for over a decade, analyzing suicidal behavior and risk factors among different types of patients. During the late 1950s, they also developed the theories about suicide prevention that would prove enormous influential within the profession. Starting from the premise that suicide was, in fact, preventable, they argued that the self-destructive impulses leading to suicide could be forestalled by timely detection, intervention, and treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 1958, Farberow and Shneidman were able to put their theories into practice in a clinical setting, teaming up with psychiatrist Robert E. Litman, to open the first Suicide Prevention Center in the United States. Staffed by psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers, the center became a model for others. Within 15 years of its founding, over 150 centers had been created throughout the country. The LA center added a 24-hour suicide hotline in 1963 and pioneered the practice of training non-professionals to take crisis calls. Since then, crisis hotlines have saved millions of lives worldwide<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2007, in response to the rising suicide rates among Veterans, VA partnered with the Department of Health and Human Services to establish a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.veteranscrisisline.net\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Veterans Crisis Line<\/a> manned around the clock by VA clinical staff. The same year, VA created suicide prevention coordinator positions at all VA medical centers. More recently, VA made suicide prevention its top clinical priority and released a comprehensive 10-year <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mentalhealth.va.gov\/suicide_prevention\/docs\/Office-of-Mental-Health-and-Suicide-Prevention-National-Strategy-for-Preventing-Veterans-Suicide.pdf\" rel=\"noopener\">National Strategy for Preventing Veteran Suicide<\/a><\/em>. The VA plan builds on the concepts of the two VA psychologists who decades earlier set out to understand the dynamics of suicide and how to prevent such tragedies from occurring. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" height=\"811\" width=\"1400\" src=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/07\/062o-Vet-Crisis.png?resize=1400,811\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/07\/062o-Vet-Crisis.png?resize=1400,811\" alt=\"If you are a Veteran in crisis or are concerned about a Veteran who is, call the Veteran Crisis Line to connect with caring, qualified responders for confidential help. (VA)\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-114009\" style=\"width:700px;height:406px\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%271400%27%20height%3D%27811%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%201400%20811%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%271400%27%20height%3D%27811%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/07\/062o-Vet-Crisis.png?resize=300,174 300w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/07\/062o-Vet-Crisis.png?resize=600,347 600w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/07\/062o-Vet-Crisis.png?resize=768,445 768w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/07\/062o-Vet-Crisis.png?resize=1400,811 1400w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/07\/062o-Vet-Crisis.png 1520w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">If you are a Veteran in crisis or are concerned about a Veteran who is, call the Veterans Crisis Line to connect with caring, qualified responders for confidential help. (VA)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>While suicide takes a toll on lives in every segment of society, Veterans in the post 9-11 era have statistically been more at risk than adults in the general population. VA\u2019s efforts to combat the scourge of Veteran suicide owe a significant debt to the foundational research studies conducted by two VA psychologists in the 1950s. The work of Drs. Edwin S. Shneidman and Norman J. Farberow led to some of the earliest crisis intervention programs at VA and elsewhere and the establishment of the nation\u2019s first dedicated Suicide Prevention Center in Los Angeles, California.  <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":117362,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[118,94],"class_list":["post-114008","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-100-objects","tag-suicide-prevention","tag-veterans-health-administration"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/object-62-1956-suicide-study\/","meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Object 62:  1956 \u201cClues to Suicide\u201d Study","url":"http:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/object-62-1956-suicide-study\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/object-62-1956-suicide-study\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/07\/Object-61-Featured-Image.webp?w=300","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/07\/Object-61-Featured-Image.webp"},"articleSection":"History of VA in 100 Objects","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Department of Veterans Affairs (smw)"}],"creator":["Department of Veterans Affairs (smw)"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"VA History","logo":""},"keywords":["suicide prevention","veterans health administration"],"dateCreated":"2023-07-06T14:18:09Z","datePublished":"2023-07-06T14:18:09Z","dateModified":"2026-03-04T17:51:05Z"},"rendered":"<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"wp-parsely-metadata\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"NewsArticle\",\"headline\":\"Object 62:  1956 \\u201cClues to Suicide\\u201d Study\",\"url\":\"http:\\\/\\\/department.va.gov\\\/history\\\/object-62-1956-suicide-study\\\/\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/department.va.gov\\\/history\\\/object-62-1956-suicide-study\\\/\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/department.va.gov\\\/history\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/10\\\/2023\\\/07\\\/Object-61-Featured-Image.webp?w=300\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/department.va.gov\\\/history\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/10\\\/2023\\\/07\\\/Object-61-Featured-Image.webp\"},\"articleSection\":\"History of VA in 100 Objects\",\"author\":[{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Department of Veterans Affairs (smw)\"}],\"creator\":[\"Department of Veterans Affairs (smw)\"],\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"VA History\",\"logo\":\"\"},\"keywords\":[\"suicide prevention\",\"veterans health administration\"],\"dateCreated\":\"2023-07-06T14:18:09Z\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-07-06T14:18:09Z\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-04T17:51:05Z\"}<\/script>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/department.va.gov\/p.js"},"meta_box":{"external_links":"0","endorsement":"0","subheading":"","featured_image_alt_text":"Title page of the seminal research paper on suicide published by VA psychologists Edwin Shneidman and Norman Farberow in 1956. Insert: Shneidman and Farberow (NIH National Library of Medicine; IMDB.com)","byline":"Katie Rories, Historian, Veterans Health Administration","author_title":"Historian, Veterans Health Administration","external_source":"","external_source_url":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/114008","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=114008"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/114008\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":115305,"href":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/114008\/revisions\/115305"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/117362"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=114008"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=114008"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=114008"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}