I.A.S.P. guidelines for suicide prevention. I.A.S.P. Executive Committee

There are a number of ways in which suicide can be prevented. Broad social issues can be influenced by firm advocacy for change in appropriate areas in different countries, such as by restricting access to specific means of suicide and by enhancing health and social services in general. At the individual level, after the establishment of rapport, there should be screening for the presence of specific mental disorders, which, if present, should be treated vigorously. If medication is indicated, the safest drug should be prescribed, although it is emphasized that even if drugs are utilized, nondrug treatment is important for every suicidal person. The focus of supportive therapy, which can be provided by both the helping professions and volunteer organizations, should be the provision of hope for the future, the enhancement of independence, and the learning of different ways of coping with the inevitable stressors of everyday life. If these guidelines are followed, there is every reason to believe that an impact can be made upon the worldwide problem of suicidal behavior.     

O.D. at the U.N.: facilitating global change

Expanding our OD horizons to the global level means not only carrying abroad what we know, but also being sensitive to diverse clients who may operate from cultural assumptions very different from our own. Both formal and informal change is possible at international gatherings if practitioners follow a few key guidelines. Seven such observations are discussed by the author, who includes a discussion of “expert” and “process” consultation methods. The article concludes that OD skills are needed in the international arena, but are often unappreciated or unknown. Hence, OD professionals must be educators in addition to their interpersonal practice of superior communication skills.

OD is only beginning to stretch its full imaginative power and practice to the international arena, as is reflected in my experiences at a conference of 122 countries held at the United Nations in Vienna, Austria. The conference was the first convening of nations to discuss the topic of old age in light of the policy and organizational implications of global demographic change.     

R. A. W. RHODES: A SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY

Rod Rhodes' main publications are authored and edited books. Many of the individual articles and chapters were conceived of as dress rehearsals for later inclusion in the books. To avoid duplication and overlap, items included in books have not been listed as separate articles and chapters unless they attracted significant attention in their own right. The list comprises a ‘Top 100’ and focuses on the ‘uncollected’ articles and chapters, and the top material as suggested by ISI and Google citations, rejoinders, journal ranking, reprints in readers, and other ‘objective’ indicators. It also omits most juvenilia; everyone has to learn their craft. A complete bibliography of some 600 items that includes all articles and chapters, translations, book reviews, conference papers, discussion or occasional papers, newspaper articles, interviews, and other journalism is available on Rhodes' personal web page ( http://www.raw‐rhodes.com.au/ ).     

专访赞比亚驻华大使努潘多·姆瓦佩

记者：前不久，您刚刚出席了在温州举行的中非中小企业合作论坛，据我们所知这也是您在近三个月内第三次到温州。您对这次论坛总体有什么看法？     

PERCEPTIONS OF BENEFIT FRAUD STAFF IN THE UK: GIVING P.E.A.C.E. A CHANCE?

This article reports a study concerning perceptions of benefit fraud staff and of management concerning their own interviewing techniques and standards, and their views pertaining to a preferred model of interviewing. Interviewing fraud suspects forms an important task performed by Fraud Investigators (FIs) within the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) in the UK. Given this significance, it is surprising that there has been little analysis of the skills used to do this task. Current training consists of a course centred on an interviewing framework called the PEACE model, which was originally developed for police use. The research outlined in this paper examined both FIs and their managers’ perceptions and attitudes of the model and of their own practices. It was found that, while there was general support for the model, reservations were voiced over how effective PEACE may actually be in practice. These reservations centred on insufficient time to prepare for investigations along with a perceived inflexibility over the model’s framework. In, addition, it was highlighted that the absence of any national supervisory framework for investigative interviews should give the organization cause for concern in ensuring standards.