A Phenomenological Study of Six Helping Professionals and Their Experiences with a Persistent Adolescent Suicide Cluster
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View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by DigitalCommons@CSP (Concordia University St. Paul) Concordia University St. Paul DigitalCommons@CSP Concordia University Portland Graduate CUP Ed.D. Dissertations Research 4-1-2017 A Phenomenological Study of Six Helping Professionals and Their Experiences with a Persistent Adolescent Suicide Cluster Bobbi-Jo Woodford Concordia University - Portland, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.csp.edu/cup_commons_grad_edd Part of the Education Commons, and the Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons Recommended Citation Woodford, B. (2017). A Phenomenological Study of Six Helping Professionals and Their Experiences with a Persistent Adolescent Suicide Cluster (Thesis, Concordia University, St. Paul). Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.csp.edu/cup_commons_grad_edd/76 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Concordia University Portland Graduate Research at DigitalCommons@CSP. It has been accepted for inclusion in CUP Ed.D. Dissertations by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@CSP. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Concordia University - Portland CU Commons Ed.D. Dissertations Graduate Theses & Dissertations 4-2017 A Phenomenological Study of Six Helping Professionals and Their Experiences with a Persistent Adolescent Suicide Cluster Bobbi-Jo Woodford Concordia University - Portland Follow this and additional works at: https://commons.cu-portland.edu/edudissertations Part of the Education Commons, and the Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons CU Commons Citation Woodford, Bobbi-Jo, "A Phenomenological Study of Six Helping Professionals and Their Experiences with a Persistent Adolescent Suicide Cluster" (2017). Ed.D. Dissertations. 25. https://commons.cu-portland.edu/edudissertations/25 This Open Access Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Theses & Dissertations at CU Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Ed.D. Dissertations by an authorized administrator of CU Commons. For more information, please contact libraryadmin@cu- portland.edu. Concordia University–Portland College of Education Doctorate of Education Program WE, THE UNDERSIGNED MEMBERS OF THE DISSERTATION COMMITTEE CERTIFY THAT WE HAVE READ AND APPROVE THE DISSERTATION OF Bobbi Jo Woodford CANDIDATE FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF EDUCATION Jerry McGuire, Ph.D., Faculty Chair Dissertation Committee Sonja Vegdahl, Ph.D., Content Specialist Anne Grey, Ed.D., Content Reader ACCEPTED BY Joe Mannion, Ed.D. Provost, Concordia University–Portland Sheryl Reinisch, Ed.D. Dean, College of Education, Concordia University–Portland A NEW PERSPECTIVE: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY OF SIX HELPING PROFESSIONALS AND THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH A PERSISTENT ADOLESCENT SUICIDE CLUSTER. Bobbi Jo Woodford Concordia University – Portland College of Education Dissertation submitted to the faculty of the College of Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in Transformational Leadership Jerry McGuire, Ph.D., Faculty Chair Dissertation Committee Sonja Vegdahl, Ph.D., Content Specialist Anne Grey, Ed.D., Content Reader Concordia University Portland 2017 ABSTRACT This phenomenological study examined the lived experiences of six helping professionals, or gatekeepers, who serve the same community and in their professional roles have been professionally exposed to an adolescent suicide cluster. The purpose was to explore a fresh perspective, to uncover similarities between the participants’ experiences, and to better understand the effects that teen suicide has on helping professionals. The three-part interview design did achieve data saturation, and the multi- phase analysis stimulated the emergence of five distinct themes: adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) as a root cause, a description of the at-risk teen population, short- term crisis response, long-term stabilization, and helping professionals’ means of coping with adverse gatekeeper experiences (AGEs). The results of this study are significant and demonstrate: (a) how a group of gatekeepers, from a variety of service industries, perceive the cluster phenomenon, affected teen group, and prevention efforts; (b) how this study’s participants have been similarly impacted by adolescent suicide; and (c) how they have remained dedicated to protecting and developing healthy youth. Keywords: Suicide, adolescent suicide, teen, at-risk, susceptible, suicide cluster, victim, survivor, aftermath, crisis response, coping, gatekeeper, helping professional, phenomenology, lived experiences, adverse gatekeeper experience. iii DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to my beautiful boys, Crew and Frederick. Thank you for your sweet hugs and kisses, and for loving me unconditionally. I had major mom guilt every time I left you to research and write. I hope my academic achievements will inspire you to dream big. To my husband, Matt: You are my favorite person. During my eleven years of higher education you have been my supporter, motivator, and provider. You picked up so much of my slack, you called me out every time I started to procrastinate, and you comforted me when I was physically, emotionally, and psychologically exhausted. I promise you, I am done collecting degrees. Thank you. I love you. iv Table of Contents ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................... iii DEDICATION ................................................................................................................... iv TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................................................... v Chapter 1: Introduction ........................................................................................................ 1 The Cluster Phenomenon ........................................................................................ 1 Definitions of Terms ................................................................................................ 3 Expectations and Limitations .................................................................................. 6 Chapter Summary .................................................................................................... 7 Chapter 2: Literature Review .............................................................................................. 8 Phenomenology .................................................................................................... 10 Risk Factors ........................................................................................................... 14 Precipitant Factors ................................................................................................ 17 Cluster Formation .................................................................................................. 20 Containment Strategies .......................................................................................... 25 Chapter Summary .................................................................................................. 29 Chapter 3: Methodology .................................................................................................... 31 Research Questions ............................................................................................... 32 A Phenomenological Research Design ................................................................. 32 Population and Recruitment Methods ................................................................... 33 Instrumentation ...................................................................................................... 37 Semi-Structured Interviews ................................................................................... 38 Interview Protocols ................................................................................................ 39 v Interview Techniques ........................................................................................... 41 Supplemental Data Source .................................................................................... 44 Analysis Procedure ................................................................................................ 46 Limitations of the Research ................................................................................... 47 Trustworthiness ..................................................................................................... 49 Ethical Considerations ........................................................................................... 52 Expected Findings ................................................................................................. 54 Chapter Summary .................................................................................................. 55 Chapter 4: Research, Data Collection, and Findings ......................................................... 56 Recruiting Participants .......................................................................................... 56 Description of the Sample ..................................................................................... 62 Research Methods and Analysis ............................................................................ 64 Summary of the Findings .....................................................................................