An Evaluation of Suicide Gatekeeper Training for School Counselors and Teachers

2008 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 2156759X0801100
Author(s):  
Carli Reis ◽  
Dewey Cornell

The study in this article compared counselors and teachers on measures of suicide knowledge and prevention practices after participation in a statewide training program in student suicide prevention using the “Question, Persuade, and Refer” program. Follow-up surveys conducted an average of 4.7 months after training indicated that trainees (73 counselors and 165 teachers) demonstrated greater knowledge of suicide risk factors and reported making more no-harm contracts than did controls (74 counselors and 98 teachers). In comparison to teachers, counselors demonstrated greater knowledge of risk factors and reported questioning more potentially suicidal students and making more contracts and outside referrals. These findings support the value of gatekeeper training for both counselors and teachers and substantiate the important role of counselors in suicide prevention.

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 186-195
Author(s):  
Joshua Levine ◽  
Leo Sher

AbstractObjective:Suicide is a serious public health issue that affects individuals, families and societies all over the world. International studies provide consistent evidence that the presence of psychiatrists in a region is associated with lesser suicide rates. However, many psychiatric patients including suicidal patients do not have access to psychiatrists. This indicates that mental health and non-mental health social workers need to be involved in suicide prevention efforts. This paper is the first comprehensive work that discusses how to increase the role of social workers in the area of suicide prevention.Methods:A review of the relevant literature.Results:Increasing the role of social workers in suicide prevention efforts may reduce suicide risk in groups and people at elevated risk for suicide, as well as the general population.Conclusion:Recommendations are provided for how the social work profession can improve upon suicide prevention while incorporating universal, selective and indicated suicide preventive interventions. Social work research efforts should focus on how to increase the role of social workers in suicide prevention and the management of suicidal patients. Social work education programmes should modify their curricula and increase their attention on suicide prevention. Mental health social workers need to educate the patient and their family on suicide risk factors. Furthermore, mental health and non-mental health social workers need to educate the general public on suicide risk factors.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (1) ◽  
pp. 127-136
Author(s):  
Svetlana Markova ◽  
Catherine Nikitskaya

The aim of this article is to explore current approach to suicide prevention at school. The article provides information about statistics and the importance of the problem. It addresses risk and protective factors of suicide and its causes. In addition, it provides a detailed examination of the role of school in suicide prevention. The article contains information regarding specific interventions for staff members, administration and school psychologists. It discusses existing tools and programs the school has access to in order to prevent suicidal behaviors and ideations among students.


2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. A. King ◽  
R. M. Hill ◽  
H. A. Wynne ◽  
R. M. Cunningham

2010 ◽  
Vol 67 (4) ◽  
pp. 303-312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gordana Dedic ◽  
Milivoje Panic

Background/Aim. Recognition of suicide risk factors is important in taking adequate suicide preventive measures, Suicide Prevention Program for Professional Military Personnel (PMP) implemented in the Army of Serbia in 2003. The aim of our study was to establish suicide risk factors in PMP of the Army of Serbia. Methods. Analysis of suicide risk factors in PMP was carried out on the basis of data obtained by psychological suicide autopsy. The controls were demographically similar psychiatric outpatients with no history of suicidal behavior. A descriptive statistics method was used for risk factors analysis. The t-test was used for testing statistical hypotheses. Results. A total of 30 PMP, aged 22-49 years (30.53 ? 6.24 on average) committed suicide within the period 1998-2007. Distal suicide risk factors in PMP were considered to be not being married, psychiatric heredity, having no outpatient psychiatric treatment, gambling, regular physical practice (bodybuilding), less transfer to a different post, low motivation for military service (p < 0.001), not having children, parental loss in early childhood, alcohol abuse (p < 0.005), low salary (p < 0.01) uncompleted military school, debts in the family (p < 0.05). The commonest proximal suicide risk factors were: actual family problems (36.6%), actual mental problems (13.3%), burnout (13.3%), negative balance of accounts (13.3%), professional problems (6.7%), behavioral model while for 10.0% PMP suicide risk factors could not be established. Conclusion. According to the presence of multiple suicide risk factors, Suicide Prevention Program for PMP in the Army of Serbia is directed to the prevention of both proximal and distal suicide risk factors.


Crisis ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benedikt Till ◽  
Ulrich S. Tran ◽  
Thomas Niederkrotenthaler

Abstract. Background: Previous studies suggest that troubled romantic relationships are associated with higher risk factors for mental health. However, studies examining the role of relationship satisfaction in suicide risk factors are scarce. Aims: We investigated differences in risk factors for suicide between individuals with high relationship satisfaction, individuals with low relationship satisfaction, and singles. Furthermore, we explored patterns of experiencing, and dealing with, conflicts in the relationship and examined associations with suicide risk factors. Method: In this cross-sectional study, we assessed relationship status, relationship satisfaction, specific types of relationship conflicts, and suicide risk factors (i.e., suicidal ideation, hopelessness, depression) with questionnaires among 382 individuals in Austria. Results: Risk factors for suicide were higher among singles than among individuals in happy relationships, but lower among those with low relationship satisfaction. Participants reporting a high number of unsolved conflicts in their relationship had higher levels of suicidal ideation, hopelessness, and depression than individuals who tend to solve issues with their partner amicably or report no conflicts. Conclusion: Relationship satisfaction and relationship conflicts reflect risk factors for suicide, with higher levels of suicidal ideation, hopelessness, and depression reported by individuals who mentioned unsolved conflicts with their partner and experienced low satisfaction with their relationship.


2010 ◽  
Vol 67 (7) ◽  
pp. 548-557 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gordana Dedic ◽  
Milivoj Panic

Background/Aim. Analyses of suicide risk factors enable to undertake appropriate preventive measures within the Suicide Prevention Program in Military Environment, which was fully applied in 2003 in the Serbian Army Forces. The aim of our study was to identify the most important suicide risk factors in soldiers within the period from 1998 to 2007. Methods. Analysis of suicide risk factors was carried out on the basis of data obtained by psychological suicide autopsy. The control group was matched with adapted soldiers by socio-demographic factors. A descriptive statistical analysis was used. Comparison of groups of soldiers was done by the t-test and Pearson's ?2-test. Results. A total of 35 soldiers aged 22-49 years (21.76 ? 1.76 years on average) committed suicide within the period 1999-2007, the 2/3 within, and 1/3 out of a military compound. More than one half soldiers committed suicide after transferring to a different post. Soldiers who committed suicide had come from uncompleted, dysfunctional families (p < 0.05). In comparison with the adapted soldiers, in premilitary period they had more interpersonal problems with their comrades (p < 0.001) and problems with law (p < 0.05). During military service, alcohol consumption was less presented; they used to have fewer separation problems (p < 0.05) and to be rarely awarded (p < 0.001) in comparison with the adapted soldiers. A soldier who committed suicide was emotionally and socially immature persons. The commonest motives for suicide were: decreased capacity of adaptation to military service, actual psychic disturbance, emotional interruption, fear of environment judgment, actual family problems, but in the one fifth, motive stayed unrecognized. Conclusion. Suicide risk factors in soldiers are primary in their immature personality organization, its relation with family and military environment factors which, in coexistence with actual life accidents, result in suicide as a consequence. A suicide prevention program in Serbian Army Forces should be designed to prevent multiple suicide risk factors.


Crisis ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 80-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maila Upanne

This study monitored the evolution of psychologists' (n = 31) conceptions of suicide prevention over the 9-year course of the National Suicide Prevention Project in Finland and assessed the feasibility of the theoretical model for analyzing suicide prevention developed in earlier studies [ Upanne, 1999a , b ]. The study was formulated as a retrospective self-assessment where participants compared their earlier descriptions of suicide prevention with their current views. The changes in conceptions were analyzed and interpreted using both the model and the explanations given by the subjects themselves. The analysis proved the model to be a useful framework for revealing the essential features of prevention. The results showed that the freely-formulated ideas on prevention were more comprehensive than those evolved in practical work. Compared to the earlier findings, the conceptions among the group had shifted toward emphasizing a curative approach and the significance of individual risk factors. In particular, greater priority was focused on the acute suicide risk phase as a preventive target. Nonetheless, the overall structure of prevention ideology remained comprehensive and multifactorial, stressing multistage influencing. Promotive aims (protective factors) also remained part of the prevention paradigm. Practical working experiences enhanced the psychologists' sense of the difficulties of suicide prevention as well as their criticism and feeling of powerlessness.


Crisis ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 130-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danica W. Y. Liu ◽  
A. Kate Fairweather-Schmidt ◽  
Richard Burns ◽  
Rachel M. Roberts ◽  
Kaarin J. Anstey

Abstract. Background: Little is known about the role of resilience in the likelihood of suicidal ideation (SI) over time. Aims: We examined the association between resilience and SI in a young-adult cohort over 4 years. Our objectives were to determine whether resilience was associated with SI at follow-up or, conversely, whether SI was associated with lowered resilience at follow-up. Method: Participants were selected from the Personality and Total Health (PATH) Through Life Project from Canberra and Queanbeyan, Australia, aged 28–32 years at the first time point and 32–36 at the second. Multinomial, linear, and binary regression analyses explored the association between resilience and SI over two time points. Models were adjusted for suicidality risk factors. Results: While unadjusted analyses identified associations between resilience and SI, these effects were fully explained by the inclusion of other suicidality risk factors. Conclusion: Despite strong cross-sectional associations, resilience and SI appear to be unrelated in a longitudinal context, once risk/resilience factors are controlled for. As independent indicators of psychological well-being, suicidality and resilience are essential if current status is to be captured. However, the addition of other factors (e.g., support, mastery) makes this association tenuous. Consequently, resilience per se may not be protective of SI.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document