Evaluating the effectiveness of a universal suicide awareness and prevention program in secondary schools`

Suicide among youth and adolescents has been increasing in recent years, and poses a major public health crisis for communities. Schools are an ideal location to provide mental health services for this particularly vulnerable population and can assist in suicide awareness, prevention, early detection of at-risk students, and intervention. This study utilized a pretest-posttest design to evaluate the effectiveness of a classwide suicide awareness and prevention program in secondary schools. Results indicated a significant increase in participants’ self-reported awareness of risk factors for suicide, comfort in discussing suicide, and confidence in reporting suicide to an adult. Gender and grade
level differences were also explored. Existing suicide prevention research and implications for educators are discussed