scholarly journals A framework for identifying public research priorities: an application in forestry research.

1986 ◽  
Author(s):  
Glenn Fox
Keyword(s):  
Research Priorities ◽  
Public Research ◽  
Forestry Research

Forestry Research Advisory Council of Canada Annual Report for 1990

1991 ◽  
Vol 67 (4) ◽  
pp. 427-433
Keyword(s):  
Research Priorities ◽  
Advisory Council ◽  
Forest Economics ◽  
Forest Resource ◽  
Forest Research ◽  
Forestry Research ◽  
Research Programs ◽  
The Future ◽  
Canadian Council ◽  
Forest Managers

The Forestry Research Advisory Council of Canada (FRACC) advises Forestry Canada on national forest research priorities and policies. This report covers calendar 1990, during which FRACC held four meetings and visited four Forestry Canada research centres.Once again FRACC prepared a national overview of research priorities with the assistance of the provincial and territorial forest research advisory groups. This appeared in the February 1991 Forestry Chronicle of the Canadian Institute of Forestry. Twenty-three new research priorities were identified in the 1990 overview. Many of the new items were related to the need for predictive models, better resource and land use decision methods, socioeconomic studies, and studies on climate change. This reflects the increasing attention forest managers are giving to public attitudes on resource and environmental matters. At the same time, the forest managers' more traditional long-term concerns about protecting, harvesting, and regenerating forests are still prominent in research priorities. The importance of the Forest Resource Development Agreements in funding forest research was again emphasized.As a result of its deliberations in 1990, Council makes the following recommendations:1. Forestry Canada should ensure that a broad spectrum of forest stakeholders have input to its forest research advisory process, and should encourage other agencies to do likewise.2. Forestry Canada should seek every opportunity to connect its research work with site classification systems. This will broaden the use of research results in ways that maximize their application without having them misapplied in inappropriate situations.3. Forestry Canada should strengthen its linkages with the universities and urge them to do more to broaden their search for graduate students by emphasizing the very real challenges in forestry. Forestry Canada should also consider seconding scientists to universities for two to three years to alleviate a shortage of specific skills and to further the training of specialists in those disciplines.4. Forestry Canada should make every effort to develop other techniques and approaches to enhance cooperative programs along the lines of the National Science and Engineering Research Council partnership model.5. In setting up cooperative programs of research with industry, Forestry Canada should ensure that the participating companies are fully aware of the steps necessary to qualify for favorable tax treatment for their contributions to research programs.6. Forestry Canada should carefully examine its forest economics and policy program to assess its adequacy and to determine whether sufficient linkage has been established with the provinces, industry, and the universities. An in-depth program review of this subject should be undertaken, with full program documentation being assembled and made available to FRACC and Forestry Canada clients and cooperators.7. A serious effort should be made to raise the profiles of Forestry Canada's two specialized institutes so that their role, particularly in relation to environmental concerns, is more widely appreciated in forestry and environmental circles. A change of names should be considered. Drawing on the views of scientists and staff, Forestry Canada should seek alternatives that would give much more stress to the ideas of sustainable development and ecological balance.8. The practice of consulting with staff and involving them in the planning and execution of research programs should be reinforced and firmly embedded in the management culture of Forestry Canada.9. Forestry Canada should actively involve its leading scientists in developing national strategies and plans and in developing research networks.In its work program for 1991, Council will:1. Continue to examine the factors affecting the supply of young scientists and the elements that make for a productive research climate.2. Continue the input of various forest stakeholders to the deliberations of Council so that the forces shaping the future demands on the forest ecosystem can be better understood.3. Identify emerging regional and national issues and priorities in forestry research.4. Continue to work with provincial and territorial research advisory bodies to assemble a national overview of forest research priorities for the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers.5. Study the implications for Forestry Canada's research program of the following reports:(a) The Report of the Standing Committee of the House of Commons on Fisheries and Forestry entitled Forests of Canada: The Federal Role (the Bird Report).(b) The Green Plan of Environment Canada.(c) The report by Pierre Lortie on science policy and the organization of science in Canada.(d) Forestry Canada's report to parliament.6. Make input to developing the new Forest Sector Strategy for Canada due for completion in March 1992.7. Obtain and review an action plan for the forest economics program of Forestry Canada.8. Hold a "think-tank" session to explore in broad terms what the future holds for forest resource management in Canada and the world, and to attempt to assess what this means for forest research at present and in the near future.9. Study the terms of reference of FRACC and make recommendations as required to Forestry Canada.

Forestry Research Advisory Council of Canada Annual Report for 1991

1992 ◽  
Vol 68 (4) ◽  
pp. 517-524
Keyword(s):  
Technology Transfer ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Annual Report ◽  
Technical Information ◽  
Research Priorities ◽  
Advisory Council ◽  
Forest Research ◽  
Cooperative Research ◽  
Forestry Research ◽  
Advisory Bodies

This report covers calendar 1991. Since 1983 the Forest Research Advisory Council of Canada (FRACC) has advised Forestry Canada on forestry research priorities and policies. In 1987 the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers (CCFM) agreed to establish forest research advisory groups in each jurisdiction, and requested FRACC to coordinate an annual countrywide review of forestry research priorities and concerns. Since then, and with the assistance and cooperation of the provincial and territorial research advisory bodies, FRACC has prepared an annual overview of forestry research priorities for CCFM; this report has subsequently been published in The Forestry Chronicle.Forestry Canada made its first annual report to Parliament in 1991. Council considers it a good beginning for a process that will be valuable in alerting Members of Parliament and the public to forestry issues and the importance of forestry research. During the year Forestry Canada made good progress in preparing mission statements for its establishments. Not only are these statements important in explaining the Department's role, but also the process of preparing them is equally important in building support and esprit de corps. FRACC is pleased to see Forestry Canada taking positive initiatives in other areas, namely, the inclusion of major research components in the new forestry agreements with the provinces; the Green Plan with its elements of forestry research and model forests; the progress made in biotechnology; and the development of the strategic research partnerships program with involvement of the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council and industry.Council makes the following recommendations:1. To better define the perceived scarcity of forestry scientists, Forestry Canada should promptly undertake or sponsor a study of the supply and demand for scientists in the various disciplines that make up forestry research.2. To foster a greater appreciation of the possibilities of a research career and to aid in establishing young scientists, Forestry Canada should provide more employment opportunities for undergraduate students through summer employment, participate fully with the universities in cooperative programs for graduate and undergraduate students, and enhance its "apprentice" type of programs for recent Ph.D. s such as post-doctorate fellowships both in-house and at the universities.3. Forestry Canada should expand the useful initiative of setting aside a relatively small portion of its budget in a fund to be used for following up quickly on promising new research approaches.4. To help ensure the sustainability of Canadian forest management, Forestry Canada should expand its in-house and cooperative research programs directed at a better understanding of the way forest ecosystems function.5. To expand research on integrated forest management, particularly the policy and socio-economic aspects, Forestry Canada should consult widely and explore the possibility of mounting cooperative research programs at national and regional levels involving its own forces, universities, provinces, industry, and non-government bodies such as the Institute for Research on Public Policy.6. Council strongly supports Forestry Canada's current effort to improve its technology transfer program to promote the application of research results; however, to meet the growing public demand for technical information on forestry and environmental matters, Forestry Canada should increase its emphasis on this aspect of technical information.7. To encourage scientists to work toward the application of their results, Forestry Canada should evaluate and modify, where possible, the scientists' rewards system so that it gives full recognition to technology transfer work including the preparation of effective "how-to" publications.8. Forestry Canada should ensure that research advisory bodies are in place for all its establishments, and should broaden the range of forest stakeholders who participate in these research advisory bodies and in those at the regional, provincial, and national levels.9. Forestry Canada should continue its emphasis on promoting high staff morale through participatory management, and should provide strong support to inter-establishment travel and dialogue, and for attendance at significant scientific conferences and workshops.10. To help prevent stagnation and encourage greater research productivity, Forestry Canada should increase opportunities for working sabbaticals and retraining of scientists and technical staff.11. To foster more long-range forestry research at universities in Canada, Forestry Canada should explore every avenue for implementing a program similar to the McIntyre-Stennis program in the United States.12. Forestry Canada should develop a method for bringing economic and social criteria to bear on selection of research projects and should incorporate this into its research planning process.Council will hold three meetings in 1992 and will give attention to the updating of the Forestry Research Inventory initiated in 1987 by Dr. A.J. Kayll; research execution, mechanisms, structures, and funding as distinct from planning processes; the document Sustainable Forests, A Canadian Commitment, with emphasis on the research aspects; further conclusions that might be drawn from the meetng with young scientists; means to encourage, support, and strengthen provincial and territorial research advisory bodies; further steps to strengthen technology transfer; Forestry Canada's headquarters forest economics program; forest workers' attitudes and training vis-à-vis environmental considerations in their daily work planning and execution; visiting a forest company's woodlands operations to learn their perceptions of research needs and views on research priority setting and management of research and technology transfer; and the major trends affecting the future of forestry and the implications for forestry research.

Forest Research Priorities in Canada, 1990: An Overview for the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers Prepared by the Forestry Research Advisory Council of Canada In Cooperation with the Forestry Research Advisory Committees in The Provinces & Territories Ottawa, July, 1990

1991 ◽  
Vol 67 (1) ◽  
pp. 64-72 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Research Priorities ◽  
Advisory Council ◽  
Forest Resource ◽  
Advisory Committees ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Forestry Research ◽  
Emerging Issues ◽  
Canadian Council ◽  
Forest Managers ◽  
Development Ethic

In 1987 the Forestry Research Advisory Council of Canada (FRACC) proposed an annual Canada-wide survey of research priorities and emerging issues to be presented to the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers (CCFM). This was accepted as a way to improve research dialogue, coordination and application. The provincial and territorial forestry research advisory committees contributed to the first overview presented to CCFM in October 1989 and published in the December 1989 Forestry Chronicle. This second report is based on material provided by the provincial and territorial advisory groups in early 1990.Forestry research is often long term but priorities do evolve. Twenty three research topics are new in this report. Several were identified as emerging concerns last year. Many of the new items fall under a new heading "FOREST POLICY AND ECONOMICS" or under "ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS" and highlight the need for socioeconomic studies, predictive models, resource and land use decision methods and concern about climate change. This evolving emphasis reflects the increasing attention forest managers in industry and government are giving to public attitudes on resource and environmental matters. These attitudes are being more forcefully articulated as the sustainable development ethic gains wider acceptance. At the same time, the more traditional concerns of forest managers about protecting, harvesting and regenerating the forest are still prominent in research priorities.Policy and economics matters needing research attention are:• Predictive supply/demand models for timber & non timber values;• Broad socio-economic studies on the implications of new policies;• Economics of private woodlands;• Methods for land use decisions;• Novel tenure and timber sales arrangements.Integrated forest resource management requires research on:• Managing for all values, wildlife, recreation, timber etc.;• Ecosystem functioning;• Decision criteria and information systems.Environmental research priorities include:• The effects of forest management and harvesting on the forest ecosystem;• The forest effects of atmospheric pollution and climate change;• The fate of pesticides applied to the forest;• The reforestation of contaminated sites;• The implications of pesticide residues on planting stock.Forest pest priorities for research are:• Alternatives to chemical control methods;• Improved risk assessment and management methods;• Work on specific pests such as the spruce budworm;• Pests of nurseries and young stands;• Damage appraisal methods;• Spray technology and drift prevention.The many forest fires of 1989 give priority to research on:• Wildfire prediction, detection and control;• Improving and applying integrated fire management systems;• Fire ecology.In silviculture, forest regeneration and tending are high priority with research particularly needed on:• Improving planting stock quality;• Control of competing vegetation;• Tree improvement;• Seed and seed orchard management;• Regenerating hybrid poplars and aspens;• Cost reduction and increased effectiveness;• Improved growth and yield information and site data;• The culture of high quality hardwoods in eastern Canada.Forest products research needs include:• Underutilized hardwoods;• The quality of wood harvested from second growth forests;• Improving the manufacture of pulp, paper and solid wood products;• Devising new higher value products.The major emerging issues likely to affect future priorities centre around:• The increasing public involvement in resource management;• The growing prominence of the sustainable development ethic;• Canada's weak commitment to research and development;• Recycling and its impact on both forest management and products;• The growing commitment to integrated forest resource management.There is also concern that popular environmental matters may skew research priorities away from less glamorous but important topics.The importance of Forest Resource Development Agreements in furthering forestry research is universally recognized as is the importance of their continuation.Research advisory structures are in place in most jurisdictions although in one or two locations progress has not been rapid. Present research programs are considered scientifically and technically sound for the most part. Lack of funding continues to be a matter of serious concern.

Forest Research Priorities in Canada, 1993: An Overview for the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers

1994 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 84-87 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Resource Use ◽  
Research Priorities ◽  
Private Investment ◽  
Advisory Council ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Forest Research ◽  
Advisory Committees ◽  
Forestry Research ◽  
Canadian Council

The Forestry Research Advisory Council of Canada in cooperation with provincial and territorial forest research advisory committees has prepared this fifth annual review of forest research priorities for the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers.The top five priorities from each committee were scored from 5 points for highest priority down to 1 point for lowest. The resulting 11 research topics in descending order of priority are:1. Integrated forest landscape management systems and decision support.2. Inventory, growth and yield, ecological site classification.3. Ecosystem functioning, soil and biodiversity conservation.4. Pest and weed management and alternatives to chemicals.5. Ecological effects of natural and human-caused disturbances.6. Lower-cost silviculture and harvesting, natural regeneration.7. Forest fire management and control.8. Socio-economic knowledge and resolution of resource use conflicts.9. Mixedwood management.10. Incentives for private investment.11. Planting stock quality and tree improvement.Eight issues likely to affect future research priorities were identified by more than one respondent, as follows:1. Global trade, competition, and world public opinion.2. Concern and input about sustainable forestry and the environment.3. Public participation.4. New policies on forestry, tenure, sales, and forest protection.5. Lack of long-term research funding, communication, and coordination.6. Shortage of fiber, long-term viability of the industry.7. Land claims and forestry on aboriginal lands.8. Increasing need for information at all levels.Other concerns include climate change, government debt, population growth and shifts, and protected and old-growth forests.Discussion of these priorities and issues at a meeting of FRACC and representatives from the provincial and territorial committees produced some general conclusions, as outlined below.To resolve resource use conflicts and to manage forests sustainably for all benefits, managers need better information that only research can provide. The goal is management systems that produce a blend of outputs from the forest and maintain the diversity and mosaic structure of naturalforest ecosystems. This kind of forestry will meet the desires of most Canadians and go far to restore public confidence in forest management.In short, research must provide additional knowledge to enable forest managers to:• Sustain the diversity and resilience of the forest ecosystems.• Improve forest health and resistance to pests.• Increase forest productivity for all values.• Reduce forest management and fire protection costs.• Access all available knowledge and data in making decisions.• Determine the socio-economic value of Canadian forests.• Improve profits and competitiveness in the forest industry.Many feel that forestry research in Canada is quite well focused on these questions, but more effort is required to ensure sufficient long-term funding and to improve local application of research results.The usefulness of this annual survey of research priorities was reviewed. It was concluded that the annual meeting of FRACC with representatives of provincial and territorial research advisory committees and the annual presentation to CCFM are very useful. However, a survey of priorities every year is, in the light of experience, unnecessary. A biennial review of priorities is recommended, with presentation to CCFM and subsequent publication. In the alternate years, a workshop of FRACC and provincial and territorial committee representatives is suggested, which would examine a major research topic in depth and present the results and conclusions to CCFM. A report could be published if appropriate.

scholarly journals Forestry Research Advisory Council of Canada Annual Report for 1993

1994 ◽  
Vol 70 (4) ◽  
pp. 455-460
Keyword(s):  
Forest Management ◽  
Forest Ecosystems ◽  
Research Priorities ◽  
Advisory Council ◽  
Forest Research ◽  
The Past ◽  
Forestry Research ◽  
Research Programs ◽  
Canadian Council

The Forest Accord that flowed from the Forest Congress of March 1992 carries firm commitments to "maintain and enhance the long term health of our forest ecosystems, for the benefit of all living things both nationally and globally." It recognizes forestry research as vital in attaining this goal.The Forestry Research Advisory Council of Canada (FRACC) has provided advice on forestry research priorities and policies to the Canadian Forest Service (CFS) since 1983. The Council is much encouraged by the Accord's strong emphasis on research.As a result of the 1987 decision by the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers (CCFM), forest research advisory councils (FRACs) are now functioning in most provinces. FRACC works closely with these groups and for the past five years, with their assistance, has prepared an annual overview of forestry research priorities and concerns across Canada. Over the past year, the Council has reviewed its role and its working arrangements with the FRACs.In this 1993 report, Council makes the following recommendations:Recommendation 1. CFS research programs to improve and foster sustainable forest management should be aimed at maintaining viable, diverse forest ecosystems using techniques that mimic natural processes as much as possible, to produce an appropriate mix of values.Recommendation 2. The CFS should complete the update of the forestry research inventory and then give attention to further refining the software system. In particular, it should be made more flexible and adapted to manipulation by existing commercially available software.Recommendation 3. All agencies concerned with Canadian forest research should be urged to discuss and study the report Toward a National Forest Science and Technology Agenda for Canada.Recommendation 4. The CFS should strongly support the concept of alternating annual activities. An overview of research priorities could be conducted in odd-numbered years; then in even-numbered years, FRACC and representatives of the provincial and territorial councils could hold a workshop to examine a major research topic in depth and present the results and conclusions to the CCFM.Recommendation 5. The CFS should ensure that sufficient funding is available to cover at least three meetings of Council each year. It should also make a reasonable amount of staff time or contract funds available to Council for the conduct of analysis and studies.Recommendation 6. The CFS should review Council's terms of reference, and give direction on whether Council should make recommendations that go beyond the research programs of the CFS, and whether it should include forest products research in its examination of issues and priorities.The funding of forest research is a matter of serious concern, particularly the need to provide stable, long-term funding, because forest research is, by its nature, long term. No specific recommendations were prepared in 1993 but Council will continue to give this question close attention in 1994.Forest research priorities across the country were again assessed in cooperation with the provincial and territorial FRACs. It was agreed that forest research must be targeted to enable forest managers to:• Sustain the diversity and resilience of the forest ecosystems.• Improve forest health and resistance to pests.• Increase forest productivity for all values.• Reduce forest management and fire protection costs.• Access all available knowledge and data in making decisions.• Determine the socio-economic value of Canadian forests.• Improve profits and competitiveness in the forest industry.Forest research in Canada is considered to be reasonably well focused on these questions, but more effort is required to ensure long-term funding and to improve application of results.Council will hold three regular meetings in 1994. During the year it will give attention to:1. Global trends affecting forestry — including five or six major issues requiring research attention, and the implications they all have for forest research priorities.2. Progress of the forest research inventory.3. Development of a proposal for research coordination and support, as requested by the Forest Sector Advisory Council.4. How research is categorized, performed, and funded in Canada — to provide information useful in further improving the ongoing forest research inventory, and as a basis for the proposal on research funding being considered by Council.

The international impact of forestry research and a comparison with agricultural and fisheries research

1994 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 321-336 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeff S. Davis ◽  
Daniel W. Mckenney ◽  
John W. Turnbull
Keyword(s):  
Research Policy ◽  
Supply And Demand ◽  
Research Priorities ◽  
Forest Products ◽  
Spillover Effects ◽  
Specific Model ◽  
Relative Strength ◽  
Systematic Analysis ◽  
Forestry Research ◽  
Trade Model

Setting research priorities is a challenge faced by many organizations. A framework has been developed to support decision making on research priorities. The potential welfare effects of research on different commodities are quantified using a multiregion trade model. The approach offers a means to collapse, into systematic analysis, many of the criteria and (or) objectives and the myriad of variables that drive the research policy process and the realization of welfare gains from research. Specific model variables include product definition, production and consumption information, prices, supply and demand elasticities, potential spillover effects of research, assessments of the relative strength of different research systems, ceiling levels of research adoption, and assessments of research and adoption lags. An international analysis shows considerable diversity in the potential gains from forestry research between both products and regions. Also, comparisons between sectors shows that some forest products are likely to be ranked in the highest priority research groupings along with agricultural products for most regions of the world considered in this analysis.

scholarly journals Forestry Research Advisory Council of Canada Annual Report for 1992

1993 ◽  
Vol 69 (4) ◽  
pp. 458-462
Keyword(s):  
Forest Management ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Sustainable Use ◽  
Research Priorities ◽  
Advisory Council ◽  
Forestry Research ◽  
Forest Policies ◽  
Amenity Values ◽  
Canadian Council ◽  
Strong Commitment

The Forestry Research Advisory Council of Canada (FRACC) has advised Forestry Canada on forestry research priorities and policies since 1983. This report covers the 1992 calendar year.Forest research advisory groups now operate in most provinces as a result of the 1987 decision by the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers (CCFM). Since then, FRACC has worked with these groups to prepare an annual overview of forestry research priorities and concerns across Canada, which has been published in The Forestry Chronicle.The 1992 Forest Congress in Ottawa was important in the evolution of Canadian forest policies. Participants deliberated on Canada's forest resources and their management with emphasis on sustainable use for all commodity and amenity values of the forest. The resulting forestry accord is a strong commitment to maintain and enhance the long-term health of Canada's forest ecosystems to benefit present and future generations. This challenge will require vigorous research and Council is pleased that the accord contains a strong commitment to research. The accord and the supporting document, Sustainable Forests, A Canadian Commitment, will guide Council in its future deliberations.As a result of its deliberations in 1992, Council makes the following recommendations:1. Because Canadians expect many kinds of benefits from the forest resource, Forestry Canada should increase research that will help forest managers assess all commodity and amenity values of the forest and incorporate them into integrated forest management plans.2. To help develop multidisciplinary approaches, Forestry Canada should work with educational institutions to develop curricula for both graduate and undergraduate students that emphasize the multidisciplinary nature of forestry.3. To help foster effective public participation in resource decisions, Forestry Canada should continue monitoring public perceptions of forestry and develop new ways of involving people in resource management decisions.4. To assist young scientists in launching their careers, Forestry Canada should establish and sponsor annual forums where young scientists and senior management exchange ideas and information.5. To promote steady progress in research, Forestry Canada should ensure overlap and training of replacement scientists when existing staff retire.6. To provide a useful tool for research managers and scientists, Forestry Canada should vigorously pursue completion of the update of the forestry research inventory.7. Because of the importance of all forestry workers' attitudes and skills in implementing sound forest management, Forestry Canada should investigate methods of training and motivation and make them part of technology transfer programs.8. Forestry Canada research establishments should develop methods to incorporate economic and social criteria in research planning and project selection.

scholarly journals Approaches to setting forestry research priorities: Considering the benefits of reducing uncertainty

2004 ◽  
Vol 80 (3) ◽  
pp. 384-390 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Nilsson ◽  
M K Luckert ◽  
G W Armstrong ◽  
G K Hauer ◽  
M J Messmer
Keyword(s):  
Forest Management ◽  
Value Of Information ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Research Priorities ◽  
Research Topic ◽  
Sensitivity Analyses ◽  
Research Issues ◽  
Forestry Research ◽  
Explicit Information ◽  
Research Demands

This paper reviews current approaches to research topic selection in forest management. Most current approaches are based on soliciting expert opinion of researchers within an environment where research demands may enter through media and political events. A number of potential problems are identified with these types of approaches including: research issues changing too rapidly for research programs to adapt, inability of surveys to capture long term trends in priorities, potential for processes to be captured by special interests of particular stakeholders, potential for consensus seeking to lead to research priorities that are too broad, a lack of statistical differences between topics leading to no significant priorities, a lack of explicit linking of the supply and demand for forestry research, and the potential for media to misrepresent research demands. Building on this literature, we suggest that current research selection methods be supplemented by developing new frameworks to provide more explicit information for research topic selection in forest management that would reduce the current pervasive role of subjectivity, provide research guidelines for local regions, and incorporate quantitative methods. This framework could be based upon the idea that one value of information is the reduction of costly mistakes. We suggest that sensitivity analyses on savings from potentially reduced uncertainty, within the context of different institutional constraints, could provide explicit information to assist with research topic selection. Key words: forestry research priorities, returns to research, value of information

Current Postvention Research and Priorities for the Future

Crisis ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 202-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karl Andriessen ◽  
Dolores Angela Castelli Dransart ◽  
Julie Cerel ◽  
Myfanwy Maple
Keyword(s):  
Social Life ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Research Priorities ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Intercultural Collaboration ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Future ◽  
Suicide Bereavement ◽  
Ethical Approval

Abstract. Background: Suicide can have a lasting impact on the social life as well as the physical and mental health of the bereaved. Targeted research is needed to better understand the nature of suicide bereavement and the effectiveness of support. Aims: To take stock of ongoing studies, and to inquire about future research priorities regarding suicide bereavement and postvention. Method: In March 2015, an online survey was widely disseminated in the suicidology community. Results: The questionnaire was accessed 77 times, and 22 records were included in the analysis. The respondents provided valuable information regarding current research projects and recommendations for the future. Limitations: Bearing in mind the modest number of replies, all from respondents in Westernized countries, it is not known how representative the findings are. Conclusion: The survey generated three strategies for future postvention research: increase intercultural collaboration, increase theory-driven research, and build bonds between research and practice. Future surveys should include experiences with obtaining research grants and ethical approval for postvention studies.

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