Responding to Suicide in School Communities: An Examination of Postvention Guidance from Expert Recommendations and Empirical Studies.

Abstract

We review the published literature on a school's response after a student dies by suicide ("postvention"). We examine published recommendations based on expert guidance and empirical studies that have evaluated postvention measures. Experts recommend careful communication with family, staff, and students that adheres to published suicide reporting guidelines. Experts also emphasize the importance of identifying and supporting high-risk students. Few robust, controlled studies have identified effective postvention measures. Effective measures tended to occur in group settings (e.g., group therapy), focus on improving grief symptoms, and involve mental health professionals. Postvention has not been robustly studied in the school context. Expert recommendations and a few evidence-backed studies provide the frame for a coherent, school-based postvention response. Further research is needed to strengthen and expand our collective understanding of effective postvention measures in the school context as youth suicide attempts continue to rise.