Suicide Prevention In Schools Research Articles

Changes in State Laws on Suicide Prevention Training for School Staff, 2002-2022.

Youth suicide is an urgent public health problem. Gatekeeper training aims to prevent suicide by training people to identify warning signs and make referrals to appropriate services. Many states in the United States have enacted gatekeeper training laws (GTLs) to train school staff in suicide prevention. The objectives of this study were to describe the development of a dataset on GTLs and use the dataset to summarize trends in uptake of GTLs from 2002 through 2022 as well as differences in characteristics (eg, frequency and duration of training) of GTLs. We used publicly available legal databases from all 50 states and the District of Columbia to conduct a policy surveillance assessment of GTLs. We cross-checked data with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's 2022 Suicide Prevention in Schools (K-12) issue brief and used Westlaw Edge to conduct a sensitivity analysis. We included the following data in the full dataset: type of laws (encouraged, mandatory, or conditional mandatory), date passed, effective date, frequency of training, and length of training. In 2022, 49 states and the District of Columbia had GTLs, 31 of which were mandatory laws. In 2002, only 6 states had such laws, and none were mandatory. The growing proliferation of laws on suicide prevention training for school staff warrants evaluation of the laws' effectiveness. Our policy surveillance data may be used to better understand the role of these laws in a school-based approach to youth suicide prevention.

The School Suicide Policy Evaluation Tool (SSPET): A proof‐of‐concept for assessing school suicide prevention policies

AbstractBackgroundAs adolescent suicide rates have increased, there has been a nationwide increase in legislation requiring schools to create suicide prevention policies. In Utah, school districts must implement a youth suicide program for grades 7–12. Currently, there have been no systematic analyses of Utah school district suicide prevention policies. Thus, we developed a new evaluation instrument, the School Suicide Policy Evaluation Tool (SSPET).MethodsThe SSPET was derived from the “Model School District Policy” and evaluates criteria on prevention, intervention, re‐entry, and postvention. Four raters used the SSPET in a systematic analysis of suicide prevention policies for all school districts in the state of Utah.ResultsAnalysis revealed a right‐skewed distribution of policy scores, and a median total score was 2.25/36. The mean percentage of inclusion of the four subsections in policies was less than 20% for most criteria. Median scores were totaled for the four subsections as follows: Prevention score was 1/9, intervention score was 1/14, re‐entry score was 0/4, and postvention score was 0/9.ConclusionThis proof‐of‐concept study demonstrates the utility of the SSPET in identifying shortcomings of school district policies on suicide while generating specific recommendations for improvement. With further validity testing, we expect this tool to be useful to school district administrators, education policymakers, and those studying suicide interventions and outcomes in school‐aged children and adolescents.

Social support systems involved in suicide prevention and intervention among adolescents: A Delphi study in Shanghai

The rotes of attempted and completed suicide among adolescents are increasing globally. Social support can help decrease the risk of adolescent suicide, but this aspect has been rarely studied in China. The present study aimed to use the Delphi methodology to establish a set of guidelines for the development of social support resources, with the goal of collectively reducing suicide risks among adolescents in Shanghai. We commenced the study in April 2021, established a research team, searched the keywords using Web of Science from 2016 to 2021 and ultimately designed a pre-evaluation index. Next, following Donabedian’s Structure–Process-Outcome model, the research developed a questionnaire comprising 3 level-1, 12 level-2, and 73 level-3 indicators. Ten experts were enlisted to conduct three rounds of e-mail inquiries in order to finalize the indicator system, resulting in 2 level-1, 11 level-2, and 52 level-3 indicators, as well as expert consensus. Our findings indicate that the social support systems should include parents, schools, psychiatric hospitals, social organizations, and government departments, with the government sector being the most important ((M = 9.4). Furthermore, our study revealed that school counselors and psychologists play similar roles to psychiatrists within the interdisciplinary team (M ± S = 9.2 ± 1.1). As per the expert consensus, social support systems should strengthen government-led and interdisciplinary collaboration, prioritize suicide prevention in schools and encourage greater involvement from social organizations.

The Influence of a Culturally Informed Suicide Prevention Training on School Mental Health Professionals’ Beliefs

Youth suicide is a significant public health concern in the United States, and students from culturally minoritized groups may be at higher risk of suicidality and suicide ideation. As key stakeholders in comprehensive suicide prevention efforts, school mental health professionals need targeted professional development to help them address the mental health needs of all their students. The study aimed to pilot the Culturally Responsive Suicide Prevention in Schools (CRSPiS) professional development session and evaluate its impact on school mental health professionals’ beliefs about the influence of culture on suicidal thoughts, behaviors, communication, and response. A pre-and post-training design was used. Professionals attended the pilot of a structured 3-hour professional development session. Immediately after the training school mental health professionals who participated in the CRSPiS session reported stronger beliefs in the influence of culture on suicide ideation and response. Participants’ beliefs did not vary by previous hours of suicide training and years of experience. CRSPiS training may help improve professionals’ ability to respond to suicide and conduct assessments in culturally relevant ways.

85.3 Scalable Delivery of Universal Suicide Prevention in Schools: Enhanced Signs of Suicide (SOS) Implementation and Screening

85.3 Scalable Delivery of Universal Suicide Prevention in Schools: Enhanced Signs of Suicide (SOS) Implementation and Screening

Educator's views on suicide prevention in high schools and what they need.

Suicide is the leading cause of death among youth. Although school-aged youth are surrounded by educators and professionals, little is known about what educators want to know regarding suicide. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perceived learning needs of high school educators in Northwestern Ontario (NWO) regarding suicide prevention using semi-structured interviews. The results yielded educators prefer learning based on a mixture of styles that is relevant to their student needs; noting that time constraints are a barrier. Educators are interested in knowing what to say; however, limited by the unknown legalities involved. Educators expressed being comfortable talking about suicide and understood basic warning signs. The findings can assist mental health professionals and school board administration in supporting educators regarding suicide prevention. Future research can include the creation of a suicide prevention program that is targeted exclusively for high school educators.

A Wrap Around Approach to Suicide Prevention in Schools: It’s not just School Counselors….

The prevalence of suicide among children and adolescents is alarming. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2020), suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth ages 10-19. Schools are one of the main providers of mental health support for students (O’Neill et al., 2021). Similar to school-based mental health counselors, psychologists, and social workers, school counselors are trained and prepared in suicide risk assessment and intervention. Mental health issues, however, require collaborative approaches that address the complex factors impacting youth, such as the impact of the dual pandemics of COVID-19 and racial injustice. The purpose of this article is to enhance considerations offered by Gallo and Wachter-Morris (2022) in their article, “Suicide intervention in schools: If not school counselors, then who?” by positioning a wrap-around approach as a necessary component of culturally responsive suicide assessment and intervention and to provide training implications for counselor educators.

THE INTRINSIC ELEMENTS AND MOTIVES FOR TEEN SUICIDE DEPICTED IN THE NOVEL ENTITLED THIRTEEN REASONS WHY BY JAY ASHER 2007

Literature is one of the tools used by humans to depict social phenomenon. Since centuries ago, there are a lot of literary works have brought up suicide into the topics. Today, this topic is still becoming a thing in popular novels. One of the most popular is Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. Data are collected by using the novel. Data were analyzed by detailing intrinsic elements, motives for teen suicide, and the theoretical implications for English Language Teaching. The findings of this research explained some interesting things about this novel. First, it is about how Jay Asher presents each element in this novel not only visually, but also how the elements are perceived by the characters. Jay uniquely presents two narrations from Hannah & Clay back and forth throughout the novel, which makes this novel very interesting. Second, there are 7 from 10 items on IMSA found in Hannah's statements that scientifically support her actions to end her life. Third, this novel could be used as a tool for teachers to teach about empathy, mental health, and suicide prevention in High Schools.

Suicide Protective Factors: Utilizing SHORES in School Counseling

Recently, a mnemonic device, SHORES, was created for counselors to utilize with clients with suicidal ideation. The acronym of SHORES stands for Skills and strategies for coping (S); Hope (H); Objections (O); Reasons to live and Restricted means (R); Engaged care (E); and Support (S). In this manuscript, SHORES is introduced as a way for school counselors to address protective factors against suicide. In addition, the authors review the literature on comprehensive school suicide prevention and suicide protective factors; describe the relevance of a suicide protective factors mnemonic that school counselors can use; and illustrate the mnemonic’s application in classroom guidance, small-group, and individual settings.

Conducting School Suicide Risk Assessment in Distance Learning Environments.

The social distancing mandate, implemented in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic, has guided many schools to deliver instruction via distance learning. Among the many challenges generated by this delivery system is the need for school mental health services, including school suicide prevention and intervention, to be conducted remotely. After briefly discussing the magnitude of the problem of youth suicide and how the COVID-19 pandemic has likely increased risk for youth suicidal ideation and behaviors, this article provides guidance on how school systems can prepare for and conduct suicide risk assessments in distance learning environments.

Suicide Screening and Surveillance of Students, Discrimination, and Privacy: The Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act

The Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act (GLS) was first enacted in 2004 for the purposes of early screening, intervention, and prevention of suicide in students 10 to 24 years of age, and to hire more college counselors. More than 16 years later, GLS suicide prevention programs have not been found to be effective in reducing suicide rates, while their harms have not been considered. This Article reviews the state of the evidence on school suicide prevention and explores the suicide surveillance of the GLS, its systems of peer-to-peer monitoring and reporting of marginalized students “at risk”—students with disabilities, racial/ethnic, sexual, and religious minorities, victims of bullying, students with homelessness or foster care records, and other suicide risk factors. It explores the GLS public health approach to address the burdens of suicidal students, isolate suicide risks, and avoid suicide contagion. It also describes possible harms of the GLS suicide surveillance approach: stigmatization; violated privacy; estrangement from peers, parents, therapists and other social supports; police involvement and warrantless searches; potential exacerbation of suicidality; and restricted civil rights in non-school settings such as employment and involuntary commitment proceedings. It then compares the threats imposed by school surveillance for violence and suicide and suggests that paternalistic justifications might account for the relative lack of concerns raised so far regarding the latter. The Article then briefly considers the functions of participating in suicide surveillance for teachers and staff, and concludes with recommendations to repeal the GLS.

Relationship among bullying victimization, psychological traits and suicide ideation of middle school students in Bijie

Objective To explore relationship among bullying victimization, psychological traits and suicide ideation of middle school students, and to provide suggestions for school bullying and suicide prevention for adolescents. Methods A total of 3 635 students of 7-9th grade from 5 junior middle schools were enrolled and investigated with the Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire (OBVQ), psychological traits questionnaire for middle school students and suicide ideation questionnaire. Results Prevalence of bullying victimization was 28.34% of middle school students, while the prevalence of verbal, relational and physical bullying were 22.59%, 12.05% and 7.54%, respectively. Boys had significantly higher rates of bullying victimization than girls ( χ 2 = 88.92, 94.29, 7.69, P <0.01). Bullying victimization was positively associated with suicidal ideation ( r = 0.21, P <0.01), while associated with psychological traits ( r = –0.17, –0.22, P <0.01). Psychological traits had a moderating effect on the relationship between bullying victimization and suicidal ideation ( β = –0.04, P <0.05). Conclusion Psychological traits can buffer the adverse effects of bullying victimization on suicidal ideation, and the critical role of psychological traits in the maintenance and development of adolescent mental health should be emphasized. 【摘要】 目的 探讨初中生欺凌受害、心理素质和自杀意念之间的关系, 为校园欺凌防治和青少年自杀预防提供参考依 据。 方法 采用Olweus儿童欺负问卷、中学生心理素质问卷和自杀意念问卷, 对整群抽取的毕节试验区5所初级中学的 3 635名七至九年级学生进行问卷调查。 结果 毕节试验区初中生欺凌受害的检出率为28.34%, 言语欺凌、关系欺凌、身 体欺凌的检出率分别为22.59%, 12.05%和7.54%, 不同性别学生欺凌受害及言语、关系、身体欺凌的检出率差异均有统计 学意义(χ 2 值分别为88.92,94.29,7.69, P 值均<0.01)。欺凌受害与自杀意念之间呈正相关（ r = 0.21), 两者与心理素质均 呈负相关( r 值分别为-0.17, –0.22) ( P 值均<0.01)。在欺凌受害与自杀意念的关系中, 心理素质的调节作用有统计学意义 ( β = –0.04, P <0.05)。 结论 心理素质能缓冲欺凌受害对自杀意念的影响, 应重视心理素质教育在维护青少年心理健康 中的关键作用。

Suicide etiology in youth: Differences and similarities by sexual and gender minority status

Sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals are at steeply elevated risk for suicide, particularly in adolescence and young adulthood. Evidence on suicide risk factors specific to SGM youth is emerging, but an integrated understanding of the etiology of suicide that accounts for both commonalities and differences between SGM and non-SMG youth is lacking. Using 2018 data from a social media-based sample of SGM (n = 175) and non-SGM (n = 310) youth ages 14–21, we assess the role of constructs from the general-population-based interpersonal-psychological theory of suicide and the SGM-specific minority stress theory in suicide ideation and attempt. Parental support was a strong protective factor shared across the SGM and non-SGM youth samples. The role of other factors, such as racial/ethnic identity, differed by group. Implications for suicide prevention and intervention in schools and other settings that include both SGM- and non-SGM youth are discussed.

School-Based Suicide Prevention Laws in Action: A Nationwide Investigation of Principals’ Knowledge of and Adherence to State School-Based Suicide Prevention Laws

Suicide is the second leading cause of death for youth aged 10–24 in the USA. In response to the high rate of youth suicide, teen suicide has gained national attention and, as a result, state governments have created legislation regarding youth suicide prevention in schools. States hold the power to instruct their schools in how to address suicide prevention, but little research has explored the relationship between state laws about school-based suicide prevention and schools’ actual practice of suicide prevention or about the effectiveness of different types of laws. The current study examined this relationship by surveying a nationally representative sample of high school principals. It assesses their knowledge of and compliance with state laws about suicide prevention, adherence to best practices for school-based suicide prevention, and variables that predict their schools’ suicide prevention program comprehensiveness. Results indicated that only about 25% of principals (N = 656) accurately identified their states’ laws about school-based suicide prevention, and 66.1% reported that their schools’ suicide prevention programs are in complete compliance with their states’ laws. Principals in states with the most stringent laws reported having the most comprehensive suicide prevention programs. Having funding, perceived support, student socioeconomic status, and having a student in their current school die by suicide were all significantly related to suicide prevention program comprehensiveness. Implications for policy, practice, and research are discussed.

Mobile Phone Intervention to Reduce Youth Suicide in Rural Communities: Field Test.

BackgroundSuicide is a leading cause of death among 10- to 19-year-olds in the United States, with 5% to 8% attempting suicide each year. Suicide risk rises significantly during early adolescence and is higher in rural and underserved communities. School-based universal prevention programs offer a promising way of reducing suicide by providing strategies for emotion regulation and encouraging help-seeking behaviors and youth-adult connectedness. However, such programs frequently run into difficulties in trying to engage a broad range of students. Text messaging is a dominant medium of communication among youths, and studies show both efficacy and uptake in text messaging interventions aimed at adolescents. Text-based interventions may, thus, offer a means for school-based universal prevention programs to engage adolescents who would otherwise be difficult to reach.ObjectiveWe field tested Text4Strength, an automated, interactive text messaging intervention that seeks to reach a broad range of early adolescents in rural communities. Text4Strength extends Sources of Strength, a peer-led school suicide prevention program, by encouraging emotion regulation, help-seeking behaviors, and youth-adult connectedness in adolescents. The study tested the appeal and feasibility of Text4Strength and its potential to extend universal school-based suicide prevention.MethodsWe field tested Text4Strength with 42 ninth-grade students. Over 9 weeks, students received 28 interactive message sequences across 9 categories (Sources of Strength introduction, positive friend, mentors, family support, healthy activities, generosity, spirituality, medical access, and emotion regulation strategies). The message sequences included games, requests for advice, questions about students’ own experiences, and peer testimonial videos. We measured baseline mental health characteristics, frequency of replies, completion of sequences and video viewing, appeal to students, and their perception of having benefited from the program.ResultsOf the 42 participating students, 38 (91%) responded to at least one sequence and 22 (52%) responded to more than a third of the sequences. The proportion of students who completed multistep sequences they had started ranged from 35% (6/17) to 100% (3/3 to 28/28), with responses dropping off when more than 4 replies were needed. With the exception of spirituality and generosity, each of the content areas generated at least a moderate number of student replies from both boys and girls. Students with higher and lower levels of risk and distress interacted with the sequences at similar rates. Contrary to expectations, few students watched videos. Students viewed the intervention as useful—even those who rarely responded to messages. More than 70% found the texts useful (3 items, n range 29-34) and 90% (36) agreed the program should be repeated.ConclusionsText4Strength offers a potentially engaging way to extend school-based interventions that promote protective factors for suicide. Text4Strength is ready to be revised, based on findings and student feedback from this field test, and rigorously tested for efficacy.

Hope Squads: Peer-to-Peer Suicide Prevention in Schools

Hope Squads: Peer-to-Peer Suicide Prevention in Schools

School-Based Suicide Prevention: A Framework for Evidence-Based Practice

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth aged 10–25 years, and approximately one in six adolescents reported serious suicidal ideation in the past year (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] in Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS). http://webappa.cdc.gov/cgi-bin/broker.exe , 2017). Schools are a unique environment in which to identify and respond to youth suicide risk, yet the research base for school-based suicide prevention programs is limited due to challenges with implementation and evaluation. The purpose of this article is to review best practice approaches and existing empirical support for school-based suicide prevention and to present a framework for how these efforts can be embedded within multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS). In line with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMHSA] (Preventing suicide: a toolkit for high schools. https://store.samhsa.gov/shin/content//SMA12-4669/SMA12-4669.pdf , 2012) framework for suicide prevention in schools, the article overviews existing programs for student education, staff training, and screening, noting where these programs may be situated across tiers of intervention. This is followed by a review of school-related outcomes of existing suicide prevention programs, which highlights the limitations of existing research. Because there are only two school-based prevention programs with evidence for reducing suicide risk in students, the authors encourage school staff to implement best practice recommendations in collaboration with school mental health professionals who can provide ongoing evaluation of program effectiveness, as well as with researchers who are able to design and conduct outcome studies addressing the limitations of current research. Findings also underscore the need for greater integration of suicide prevention programming with existing school initiatives such as MTSS, which aligns with a growing focus in the field of suicide prevention on “upstream approaches.”

Developing a Comprehensive School Suicide Prevention Program

Suicide is the third most common cause of death for youth aged 14–19. School counselors need a school-wide prevention plan to address the mental and emotional needs of students experiencing suicidal ideation and behaviors. Although researchers have suggested that suicide prevention programming and suicide screening programs lower the rate of adolescent deaths, a paucity of evidence-based, school-wide, comprehensive suicide prevention programs exists. Therefore, to fill a gap in research and training resources, we propose four different types of research-supported suicide prevention programs. We also propose a common standard for the development of an effective, comprehensive school suicide prevention program using a five-step process and frame these approaches within the American School Counselor Association National Model.

Teachers’ Perspectives on Preventing Suicide in Children and Adolescents in Schools: A Qualitative Study

Given the important role teachers play as gatekeepers in school suicide prevention, this study explored teachers' perspectives on what should be done to improve current suicide prevention efforts. The study, in Queensland, Australia, was part of a large-scale survey examining teachers' knowledge, attitudes and experience of suicidality. One hundred and fifteen teachers responded to an online survey question regarding their views on the requirements for school suicide prevention. Qualitative analysis identified five themes from teachers' responses: awareness and stigma reduction, support services for students, education and training, bullying and the role of social media. The results of this study provide some profound insights into teachers' perspectives on suicide and highlight the critical need for improved suicide prevention efforts in schools.

Developing a school-based preventive life skills program for youth in a remote Indigenous community in North Australia

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe the process of development and the pilot implementation of a preventive life skills curriculum for Indigenous middle school students in a very remote community college in the West Arnhem region of North Australia. The curriculum integrates proven educational and psychological techniques with culturally informed notions of relatedness and was developed as a contribution to efforts to prevent alarming rates of suicide among remote Indigenous youth. In this paper, the term, Indigenous refers to Australians of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent. Design/methodology/approach – Based on reviews of research literature on school-based suicide prevention and social and emotional learning in both general and Indigenous populations, and following detailed community consultations, a 12 week curriculum was drafted and implemented in two middle school classes (combined years 7-9). Lessons were videotaped and later analyzed and detailed commentary was sought from participating school staff. Findings – The pilot program has yielded important insights into requirements of a curriculum for young people with low English literacy levels and with variable school attendance patterns. It confirmed the need to adjust both pedagogical approach and curriculum content for the program to have resonance with students from this linguistic and cultural background and with varying levels of exposure to multiple stressors in disadvantaged community settings. Practical implications – The project has identified and resolved key questions for sustainable implementation of a preventive curriculum in challenging community circumstances. Originality/value – There are to date no examples of the systematic adaptation and design of a universal preventive intervention specifically for remote Australian Indigenous youth. The project is the first step toward the formal evaluation of the efficacy of a classroom-based approach to suicide prevention in remote community schools.