A leading expert in suicide and self-harm is to discuss why some people take their own lives – and opportunities to prevent suicides.
Professor Rory O’Connor will present the John Damien Lecture 2013 at the University of Stirling with a talk entitled: “Understanding the Suicidal Mind: Insights from Psychological Science”.
The event will take place in the Logie Lecture Theatre at the University’s main Stirling campus on Thursday 28 November from 7 pm.
The free event is open to members of the public as well as academics, professionals and students. There is no need to pre-book, just come along.
Professor Ronan O'Carroll from the University - who is hosting the lecture - said: “Almost one million people around the world die in suicides each year. There is a growing recognition that we need to move beyond psychiatric categories to further our understanding of the suicidal mind.
“Professor O'Connor will try to answer the question ‘why do some people become suicidal and others do not when faced with adversity?’ To do so, he will describe a new model of suicidal behaviour which maps the development of suicidal thoughts through to suicidal behaviour. He will present findings from a range of research studies and also discuss opportunities for the prevention of suicides.
The John Damien lecture is an annual public lecture established by the University’s Psychology Division, to present researchers of international standing who have made a significant contribution to the field.
Professor O'Connor completed his PhD at Queen's University Belfast in 1997 and then moved to Scotland where he has been ever since.
He was Professor of Psychology at the University of Stirling before moving to the University of Glasgow in July 2013. He is President-Elect of the International Academy for Suicide Research, UK National Representative of the International Association for Suicide Prevention, and a member of the American Association of Suicidology.
Professor O'Connor leads the Suicidal Behaviour Research Laboratory at Glasgow, the leading suicide and self-harm research group in Scotland.