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Suicide prevention training programs have spread rapidly within child and public-serving organizations, due to the alarming increase in youth suicide rates. Yet, within these organizations, roles and responsibilities can shape attitudes and intentions related to suicide prevention, thereby influencing the uptake of prevention efforts. As such, various organizational and individual factors can predict uptake, adoption, and maintenance of prevention efforts (Fixsen et al., 2005). To date, few studies have examined the service delivery context in understanding training effectiveness, especially as it relates to QPR (Question Persuade and Refer), one of the most widely disseminated suicide prevention gatekeeper programs. The purpose of this longitudinal study was to evaluate whether individual and organizational characteristics influenced the effectiveness and sustainability of training outcomes, and whether such differences existed among diverse child and public-serving delivery sectors. Several training outcomes that align with the Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1991) were examined, including confidence, attitudes, social norms, and suicide prevention behaviors. Measures were assessed prior to and 90 days after the QPR program among a sample of 858 professionals. Community support personnel uniquely showed improvements on social norms while juvenile justice and child welfare workers engaged in more suicide prevention behaviors post training. While trainees across sectors had improved suicide prevention attitudes, law enforcement personnel were the exception. Organizational climate predicted change in suicide prevention attitudes, confidence, and social norms. Trainees who were older, Latinx, and Black had the most improvement on several training outcome variables, but these findings also varied within service sectors.

There is a noticeable absence of scholarship on student-on-student bullying at institutes of higher education in the Caribbean. As a result, this study investigated the phenomenon at a national university in Trinidad and Tobago using a phenomenological case study approach to gather data via semi-structured interviews from five undergraduate and graduate students and a within-case analysis conducted. Thematic analyses revealed nine themes (loneliness, fear, intimidation, low self-esteem, embarrassment, power imbalance, lack of immediate action/indifference, harassment, and quitting). The findings indicated that bullied students feared attending lectures, felt intimidated, disheartened, depressed, anxious, disenchanted, disillusioned, had trouble concentrating on their course of study and had suicidal ideations. These findings inform understandings of student bullying at institutes of higher education and how Caribbean universities can better support students who experience student-on-student bullying on campus. This study has the potential to advance knowledge and improve policy and practice in higher education in the region.

Objective: This study examined joint trends over time in associations between substance use (heavy drinking, cannabis, and cigarette smoking) and mental health concerns (depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation) among US post-secondary students. Participants: Data came from 323,896 students participating in the Healthy Minds Study from 2009 to 2019, a national cross-sectional survey of US post-secondary students. Weighted two-level logistic regression models with a time by substance interaction term were used to predict mental health status. Results: Use of each substance was associated with a greater odds of students endorsing depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. Over time, the association with mental health concerns strengthened substantially for cannabis, modestly for heavy drinking, and remained stable for smoking. Conclusion: Given co-occurrence is common and increasing among post-secondary students, college and university health systems should prioritize early identification, psychoeducation, harm-reduction, and brief interventions to support students at risk.

In recent years, the rates of children and adolescents hospitalized for suicidal thoughts and behaviors have increased, necessitating that schools be prepared to support students as they return to school after hospitalization. Yet, recent research shows that most schools do not have formalized policies and procedures to support students during their re-entry and reintegration. Further, although school counselors are often the members of the school community charged with organizing and implementing accommodations and interventions in support of these students, the field of school counseling has not adequately addressed the need for formalized re-entry and reintegration plans or the role that school counselors have in leading this process. To meet the needs of students returning after hospitalization for suicidal thoughts and behaviors, schools benefit from formalized and individualized re-entry and reintegration plans that are grounded in a larger framework of support. Further, school counselors are well positioned to take a leadership role in this process, and specific and practical strategies are available to guide them. We organize these recommendations using the evidence-based school counseling model.

This study seeks to understand the reality and psychological difficulties faced by university graduates in Wuhan after the COVID-19 epidemic was controlled. Methods: A total of 6,417 graduate students were surveyed through an online questionnaire from late May to early June 2020. The questionnaire asked questions on depression, anxiety, insomnia, and suicidal behavior. In addition, self-administered epidemic-related questionnaires consisting of eight items were collected from university graduates. Results: Participants' positive detection rates for depression, anxiety, insomnia, and suicidal behavior are 13.4%, 8.3%, 4.4%, and 12.1%, respectively. The three biggest challenges faced by graduates are future development, economic difficulties, and employment problems. Conclusion: The detectable rate of depression, anxiety, and insomnia is low, and the detectable rate of suicide symptoms should be given more attention. The biggest problem of this group is their future development, and what they want to solve the most is the economic difficulty.

Purpose: The main objective of this study is to determine the patterns of suicidal ideation among undergraduate students of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State. Design/methodology/approach: The study examined the pattern of suicidal ideation among undergraduate students of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. The study adopted a survey research design. The study population comprised all the 28,673 undergraduate students of the university out of which 800 students were selected by stratified random sampling for the study. A questionnaire was used in gathering data for this study. Data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics, cluster and factor analyses. The study concluded that the patterns of suicide ideation among undergraduate students of Obafemi Awolowo University are passive. It is recommended that Obafemi Awolowo University students adopt the physical and online counselling services provided by the institution to aid their mental and psychological well-being. Findings: Findings revealed that the prevalence of suicidal ideation among the students was low (89.9%). Result also showed that pattern of suicidal ideation was passive (85.2%). In addition, result showed that social isolation (31.3%), hopelessness (29.4%), disappointment with school result (26.5%) and unmet expectation (12.9%) were possible factors of suicidal ideation among undergraduate students of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Research limitations/implications: This study only established the patterns of suicidal ideation among students of Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, without any reference to treatment of students with suicidal ideation. Since the patterns of suicidal ideation had been established, it is suggested that further research be conducted on the treatment and prevention of suicide among the students. Originality/value: The research was conducted by the researchers, and data were adequately collected and prepared following research ethics and guidelines. Results were presented as revealed by the analysis of the data.

Objective: This study examined symptoms of anxiety, depression and suicidality in a national sample of college students. Participants: Using national survey data from the Healthy Minds Study (HMS), a random sample from 184 U.S. campuses from fall 2016 to spring 2019 was analyzed (N = 119,875). Methods: Prevalence rates were examined with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-Item scale, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and suicidality questions. Relationships between anxiety, depression and suicidality were assessed through Spearman's correlations, the Kruskal-Wallis H test and logistic regressions. Results: Findings revealed that screening only for depression would pick up 23% of suicidal ideation, increasing to 35% when also screening for anxiety. Those with anxiety and no to minimal depression had the second highest likelihood of suicide attempt, following those with anxiety and depression. The symptom "feeling afraid something awful might happen" doubled the odds of suicidal ideation. Conclusions: College campuses may benefit from assessing particular anxiety symptoms in relation to suicide.

Objective: Research shows that alcohol use is linked to suicidal ideation (SI), while depression is strongly associated with SI. Protective behavioral strategies (PBS) are safe drinking strategies. PBS are broadly protective across alcohol-related problems; however, it is unclear if these effects extend to those at risk for SI. We hypothesized that alcohol use and depressive symptoms would be risk factors for SI, and that these factors would moderate the effects of PBS. PBS was hypothesized to be protective for individuals with elevated depressive symptoms and alcohol use. Participants: College student drinkers (n = 990; M age = 19.97, SD = 3.75) from a Southeastern University. Methods: Participants completed an online survey inquiring about demographics, depressive symptoms, SI, alcohol use, and PBS use. Results: Depressive symptoms were associated with an increased likelihood of SI; however, alcohol use was not. PBS were most protective for individuals with high levels of alcohol use and/or depressive symptoms. Conclusions: PBS may be protective for heavier drinkers who are at heightened risk for SI.

Objective: To identify the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation that would place university students at risk for mental health disorders. To explore the source of stressors and possible interventions that may benefit student mental health in a university setting. Participants: University students (n = 483) who had been learning remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A mixed-methods cross-sectional survey was administered in 2020. Results: Students were at an increased rate of depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation as compared to the general population. Female gender, lack of social support, living alone, being a first-generation college student and COVID-19 were significantly associated with mental health disorders. Stressors were identified and categorized into themes and interventions were recognized that may improve student well-being. Conclusion: Students enrolled in university programs appear to experience significant amounts of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation. Additional mental health education, resources, and support is needed.

This study aimed to provide meta-analytic reliability information of the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS). We implemented systematic search procedures to 35 eligible studies (N = 23,247; Mage = 26.74 years) that reported reliability estimates. The synthesized average values of Cronbach's alpha were 0.88 (95% CI [0.85, 0.92]) for the total C-SSRS scores, 0.88 (95% CI [0.87, 0.89]) for the Suicidal Ideation Severity subscale, 0.76 (95% CI [0.70, 0.83]) for the Intensity of Ideation subscale, and 0.81 (95% CI [0.74, 0.88]) for the Suicidal Behavior subscale. Inter-rater reliability of the C-SSRS scores, as mostly indicated by Kappa coefficients, ranged from 0.67 to 1.00, suggesting substantial agreement. Additionally, other reliability estimates were examined, such as Guttman split-half reliability, McDonald's omega, and composite reliability. The findings of this study provided evidence of moderate to strong reliability for the C-SSRS scores. Implications for counselors and counseling researchers were provided.

There has been a heightened awareness of an increased risk of suicidality among individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) due to high rates of suicidal ideation (SI) in this population (11-66%). The current study investigated the rate of parent-endorsed SI and associated clinical features in 48 youths with ASD (Age; M: 12.97 years, SD: 2.33). SI was endorsed in 18.75% of participants. Youth with SI exhibited significantly higher levels of affective problems, externalizing problems, feelings of humiliation and rejection, and symptoms related to perfectionism. Results indicate that co-occurring mental health problems are associated with suicidal ideation and provide relevant targets for psychotherapeutic intervention. This preliminary study in a modest sample suggests the value of further research in larger samples to replicate and generalize these findings.

Since 2010, suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among college students have increased. Student affairs (SA) practitioners may not have received sufficient training to handle issues regarding student suicidality. Results of a survey of SA professionals across the United States assessing their knowledge, opinions, and actions taken around student suicide indicate that formalized training is needed for suicidal warning signs and action plans for suicidal students.

College student suicide is increasing but little research addresses it. We examine student-housing-staff responses to student suicide using meaning making, trauma theory, and trauma-informed counseling. The phenomenological study included 11 participants who experienced student suicide on campus. Student staff experienced trauma, guilt, and responsibility. Counseling was recommended, but whether student staff received counseling remained unclear. Some indications of meaning making followed the suicide. Implications for practice, policy, and research are provided.

Background: Research has demonstrated that parent-child attachment security and school connectedness (SC) are protective factors against substance use, depression, and suicidality during adolescence. However, past research has examined these factors independently, and little is known about how attachment security and SC work in conjunction to reduce risk. Objective: The present study examined the moderating role of SC on the relations between parent-adolescent attachment (security, anxiety, and avoidance) and substance use, depression, and suicidality among at-risk adolescents. Method: Using a cross-sectional design, 480 community-based adolescents (60.5% female; M[subscript age] = 14.86) aged 12-18 years self-reported parent-adolescent attachment, adolescent substance use, depression, and suicidality. Results: High levels of attachment security in conjunction with high SC predicted the lowest risk for adolescent substance use. Several sex differences were found: SC significantly moderated the relation between attachment security and depressive symptoms in female adolescents and suicidality in male adolescents. Results also revealed that the moderating of role of SC differed in relation to attachment anxiety versus attachment avoidance for female versus male adolescents. Conclusion: Findings point to the importance of testing associations between multiple dimensions of attachment and SC on several well-established mental health outcomes in a sample of high-risk adolescents.

Suicidal ideation is a prominent public health problem among junior middle school students. Previous researchers have explored the influence of parenting style on adolescents' suicidal ideation, but few researchers distinguished the influence of positive and negative parenting styles. The mediating effect of negative emotions between negative parenting styles and suicidal ideation and the moderating effect of hope among Chinese junior middle school students were focused on in this study. 877 junior middle school students in Hunan, Anhui, and Jiangxi provinces in China were investigated with the simplified Parenting Style Questionnaire, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, Children's Hope Scale, and Self-rating Idea of Suicide Scale. The theoretical models were tested through the PROCESS macro for SPSS. The results showed that: (1) Negative parenting styles had positive effects on suicidal ideation. (2) Negative emotions mediated the relationship between negative parenting styles and suicidal ideation. (3) Hope moderated the relationship between negative emotions and suicidal ideation. This study implies that we could start by improving adolescents' negative parenting styles and raising their level of hope to prevent and intervene in adolescents' suicidal ideation.

Background: Adolescent suicide has become an increasingly serious social problem in China. Bullying victimization was found to be an influential factor of suicidal tendency, but less attention has been paid to the internal mechanisms of the relationship. Objective: This paper examined the relationship between adolescents' bullying victimization and suicidal tendency, and the mediating effects of internalizing problems and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). Method: Generalized Structural Equation Model was employed to a sample of 3,575 Chinese secondary school students. Results: Bullying victimization has a direct positive impact on adolescents' suicidal tendency, but also has an indirect impact on suicidal tendency through three paths: the independent mediating role of internalizing problems and NSSI, and the chain mediating role of internalizing problems and NSSI. Conclusions: The results suggested that students who are bullied tend to have a higher risk of suicidal tendency, and internalizing problems and NSSI are usually the prelude to suicidal behaviors.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to highlight suicide risk factors experienced by graduate students and postdoctoral scholars, and then outline suicide prevention strategies for these populations. Design/methodology/approach: Through analysis of literature and application of theory, the authors use the diathesis-stress model and Joiner's (2005) interpersonal theory of suicidality to outline suicide prevention strategies specific to graduate students and postdoctoral scholars. Findings: The authors' review of the literature and application of theory suggest that both individuals and groups can engage in suicide prevention strategies, specifically pertaining to reducing stressors unique to graduate students and postdoctoral scholars, as well as addressing feelings of thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness that can lead to the development of suicidality within these populations. Practical implications: Engaging in suicide prevention strategies can save lives and address the mental health conditions exhibited among graduate student and postdoctoral scholars. Originality/value: The authors offer a synthesis of good practices addressing suicide risk factors and prevention with attention to the stress-diathesis model and Joiner's (2005) interpersonal theory of suicidality toward reducing suicidality among graduate students and postdoctoral scholars.

This study aimed to apply psychological strain theory to explore the relationship between psychological strain and suicidality among Chinese young adults with a moderating effect of perceived social support. A questionnaire was administered with the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised, and Psychological Strain Scale among 13,250 college students across China. The main determinants of suicidal behavior were examined with multiple linear regression. Two steps of multiple regression were employed to define the moderating effect of social support. A positive relationship between psychological strain and suicidality was reported in the study, and social support was confirmed as a moderating factor between psychological strain and suicidal behavior.

Though a relationship between sexual assault and suicidal thinking is established, fewer studies explore complex coping mechanisms for these college student treatment issues. We hypothesized that the relationship between sexual assault and suicide ideation was mediated by binge eating concerns and that treatment for recent sexual assault would also result in greater change in eating concerns and suicidal thoughts. An eating concerns subscale and an item assessing suicidal thoughts from the Collegiate Center for Mental Health (CCMH) 2018-2019 data set were completed during treatment (n = 53,016). Results supported the hypotheses, revealing eating concerns as a significant partial mediator. Moreover, recent sexual assault survivors, particularly men, experienced greater changes during treatment than clients with other presenting concerns. Findings suggest problematic coping strategies that may increase the likelihood of suicidal thinking following sexual assault. Practitioners should monitor students' eating concerns and emphasize emotional regulation strategies to reduce suicidality. Limitations of correlational methodology and small effect sizes are also discussed.

Although suicide has been identified as a major public health issue in the United States, social work education has not yet clearly determined its role in suicide prevention. There has been a dearth of research on suicide content and education within social work programs, particularly baccalaureate programs. This teaching note presents the result of a cross-sectional survey of social work practice instructors (N=289) from Bachelor of Social Work (46.7%) and Master of Social Work (53.3%) programs. Almost all participants (87.5%) include suicide content in some of their practice courses. Teaching practices about suicide in suicide education are described, including frequency that topics and competencies are taught, factors affecting the inclusion of suicide content in the classroom, and instructors' perceptions of student competence on completion of the course. Implications for social work education are identified, including the need to increase continuing education for practice instructors, and to expand coverage of some topics, such as evidence-based practices, and the role of culture in suicide assessment.

While gatekeeper trainings have demonstrated their effectiveness in appraisals of preparedness, efficacy, and intention to intervene, evidence has been lacking regarding gatekeeper behaviors in real life. The I CARE training aims to increase intervention in real-world situations involving suicidality through informational and experiential learning, enhanced by emotional support and guidance from counseling center facilitators. In mixed-method follow-up assessments, respondents reported utilizing specific skills they learned during the training, noting their ability to listen, ask directly about suicidality, connect others with services, and draw on a variety of supportive resources. Of those who encountered a potentially suicidal student, two-thirds asked the student if they were thinking of hurting or killing themselves; others reported taking preventive actions. Perceived support and gatekeeper outcomes were correlated. The findings affirm the effectiveness of communal efforts to support college students' mental health and suggest ways to enhance effective intervention in actual situations with students in distress.

The recurrence of suicidal thoughts and behaviours represent a common threat to the wellbeing and lives of people who attempt suicide. It is not clear whether suicide risk models reflect risk for multiple suicide attempts, especially in high-risk groups. Factors associated with the recurrence of suicidal ideation and attempts was assessed in 82 military Veterans who had attempted suicide. Participants completed clinical diagnostic interviews and self-reported assessments of suicidal thoughts and behaviours, depression severity, hopelessness and burdensomeness. Hopelessness, perceived burdensomeness and beliefs about suicide were associated with the recent recurrence of suicidal ideation among Veterans who attempted suicide. Beliefs about suicide, suicidal planning and help seeking following a suicide attempt were significantly associated with multiple suicide attempts. Suicide postvention interventions should target beliefs about suicide and adaptive help seeking in depressed military Veterans who have attempted suicide.

Background: The psychological well-being of students may be especially affected by the COVID-19 pandemic; international students can lack local support systems and represent a higher risk subgroup. Methods: Self-reported depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), insomnia, alcohol use, academic stress, and loneliness were examined in two cohorts of university students (March 2020 n = 207, March 2021 n = 142). We investigated differences i) between 2020 and 2021, ii) between domestic and international students, and iii) whether differences between the two cohorts were moderated by student status. Results: More depressive symptoms, academic stress, and loneliness were reported in 2021. International students reported more depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation, anxiety, PTSD, academic stress, and loneliness. The main effect of cohort was not moderated by student status. Conclusions: International students had worse mental health outcomes overall, but were not affected more by the COVID-19 pandemic than domestic students.

Over the last decade, smartphones have become commonplace. Today, 95 percent of American teenagers have a supercomputer in their pocket. Jonathan Haidt, Jean Twenge, and others have brought necessary attention to the likelihood that smartphones and social media are partly to blame for the teenage mental health epidemic gripping the nation. It's not a watertight case, because it's nearly impossible to prove a causal relationship with a phenomenon as ubiquitous as this one. What scholars "can" say is that the sudden rise in teenage anxiety and depression, suicidal ideation, and suicide all happened at the same time that teenagers' adoption of smartphones passed the 50 percent mark--around 2012 or 2013. They can also show that the children most likely to engage in heavy use of smartphones and social media--girls, especially liberal girls--also experienced the greatest increase in mental health challenges. And they can point to other countries that show similar patterns. What to make of all of this? The least that can be done is to try to encourage parents to curb their tweens' and teens' phone and social media use. Educators can do their part by setting and enforcing classroom rules that phones be turned off or at least stowed away, unless there's a compelling instructional reason to use them--though that is admittedly an uphill battle (see "Take Away Their Cellphones," features, Fall 2022). Abolition is likely impossible, though some legislative proposals to make it harder for kids to access social media apps until they are 16 might help. But schools could certainly encourage parents to limit screen time to a reasonable number of hours per day, be much tougher about earlier bedtimes, and require kids to dock their phones outside their bedroom during sleeping hours. There's a strong foundation of research to back up any effort to protect and promote students' sleep, which may help ease some uncomfortable conversations (see "Rise and Shine," research, Summer 2019). More sleep might be the killer app that could make a huge difference--both for students' academic achievement and mental health. It's a good reminder as the future impact of AI on schools and society is contemplated, what likely matters most aren't the machines being used but the attention given to children's timeless human needs.

Despite the crucial role of mental health professionals in suicide prevention, little is known about mental health professionals' suicide literacy and attitudes towards suicide in Turkey. Therefore, the aims of this research are twofold: First, we investigated counsellor trainees' suicide knowledge and stigmatising attitudes. Second, we examined the relationship between suicide literacy and attitudes of counsellor trainees. A total of 344 counsellor trainees were recruited for this study through convenience sampling in Turkey. The descriptive statistics demonstrated that most of the counsellor trainees had a lack of knowledge about causes/nature, risk factors, and signs of suicide. Additionally, the participants had stigmatising attitudes towards individuals who died by suicide. Most importantly, the canonical correlation analysis revealed that the counsellor trainees' stigmatising attitudes towards individuals who died by suicide were negatively associated with their suicide literacy. The insights gained from this study may be of assistance to design suicide-sensitive counsellor education programs.

Background: Previous studies demonstrate a relationship between body dissatisfaction and substance use and suicidal ideation among older adolescent girls and young women while less documentation exists for early adolescence. This study explored the relationship between reported weight loss attempts and substance use history and suicidal thoughts among younger female adolescents. Methods: Participants (n = 1656) were middle school female students who participated in the 2019 Youth Behaviors Risk Survey. Participants were coded as "Trying to lose weight" and "Not trying to lose weight." Two hierarchal multiple binary logistic regressions were conducted, 1 for each of the dependent variables: (1) substance use history and (2) suicidality. Results: Fifty-seven percent of the participants were trying to lose weight, 40% reported suicidal thoughts and 45% reported substance use history. Trying to lose weight was a significant predictor for both substance use (p < 0.01) and suicidality (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Body dissatisfaction and its association with risky health behaviors highlight the need for prevention education at earlier ages while reinforcing the need for availability of school counselors.

Mental health issues are prominent among gender minorities; however, research examining these issues among college campuses is limited, and has often overlooked individuals who identify outside of transgender or cisgender identities. Our findings indicated that transgender participants reported the highest rates and frequencies of non-suicidal self injury, suicidal thoughts, and suicide attempt compared to cisgender peers; followed closely by gender-expansive participants. Gender minority participants reported higher rates of family distress and social anxiety.

Substantial body of empirical evidence supports the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (IPTS; Joiner, 2005); however, the association between personality vulnerability factors and IPTS constructs had yet to be examined in Asian college students. The present study examined Blatt's (1974) model of personality in relation to Joiner's (2005) IPTS in a sample of 403 college students in Taiwan. Findings indicated that the interaction of the two interpersonal needs factors predicted suicidal ideation; the effect of the interpersonal needs factor on suicidal ideation was mainly due to perceived burdensomeness. Moreover, perceived burdensomeness emerged as the sole mediator in the link between self-criticism and suicidal ideation, as well as between dependency and suicidal ideation. The findings underscore the potential value of targeting perceived burdensomeness in suicide prevention and intervention programs for college students. Specific advice for the practice of cognitive-behavioral therapy are discussed.

Background: Suicide is a leading cause of death for adolescents, and school connectedness is a potential, modifiable protective factor for suicide. We sought to examine if school connectedness protected against suicide among high school students and if potential moderators affected the relationship between school connectedness and suicide. Methods: We searched online databases (PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO) on December 12, 2021, for studies that examined the effects of school connectedness on suicide among high school students. Results: This systematic review identified 34 studies that examined the effects of school connectedness on adolescent suicidality. Results indicated mixed findings of school connectedness on suicidality. Among studies that assessed a suicide ideation outcome, 73.3% found that school connectedness protected against suicide. Among studies that assessed a suicide attempts outcome, 50% found that school connectedness protected against suicide. Most included studies did not control for notable variables in their final models, such as sleep, impulsivity, substance use, or depression. No studies examined moderators of school connectedness and suicide. Conclusions: School connectedness is somewhat protective of suicidality, and more protective of suicidal ideation than suicide attempts. Researchers should examine the construct of school connectedness among modern youth to better understand school connectedness and suicide.

Generation Z has been impacted by various stressors, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, which have contributed to detrimental health outcomes, including elevated rates of suicide. The majority of current U.S. college students encompass members of Gen Z, who have reported more stress than other generations. College students among other generations have demonstrated low rates of help-seeking behaviors, though these older generations were less racially diverse. Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to assess gender and racial differences in help-seeking intentions for personal and emotional problems and suicidal thoughts among a racially diverse sample of 160 college students. Participants with greater thwarted belongingness (a component of suicide desire) were less likely to seek help for personal or emotional problems, with no significant differences across race or gender. These findings suggest college counselors attend to increasing social connections; programming efforts specific to this generation; and ensuring knowledge of life-saving resources across social networks.

Introduction: Although risk for suicide appears elevated in individuals with intellectual and developmental disorders (I/DD), few interventions or tools addressing suicide prevention have been adapted for this population. Among evidence-based interventions for preventing suicide, safety planning interventions are an effective and commonly employed intervention for reducing suicide-related risk. Methods: By drawing on Special Education praxis for supporting the learning needs of individuals with I/DD, we provide recommendations for adapting suicide safety planning interventions for youth with I/DD. Results: Specific visual, content, teaching, and communication components of the safety plan intervention can be adapted to better meet the needs of youth with I/DD. Discussion: Although future research is needed to evaluate these recommendations, these modifications may support clinicians serving youth with I/DD and suicide-related risk.

The author focuses on positive psychology as an important approach to supporting the psychological well-being of students with gifts and talents. Research has identified protective factors that can counteract risk factors for suicidal behavior. These protective factors may be found within the individual, the family, peers, the school, the community, and the sociopolitical arena. In a time when the world is full of threats and worries, it is important that educators help students with gifts and talents (SWGT) to thrive by building on the positive and bolstering the protective factors at every level.

School closures were part of a larger COVID-19 mitigation effort. However, policymakers over-weighted concerns about the virus to the neglect of other aspects of pediatric health, including mental health. This narrative review summarizes findings from 40 studies. School closures appear to have been an ineffective mitigation strategy, yet children and adolescents experienced increased anxiety, depression, and loneliness, as well as an overall reduction of wellbeing. Suicidal ideation and incidence increased as well. Connecting with family and friends, even if virtually, improved these outcomes. Females and those living in poverty experienced worse mental health outcomes compared to their peers.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically altered the way of life in the United States, which may be linked to self-injurious behaviors. Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of data from the Fall 2020 Cohort of the Healthy Minds Survey, a non-probability sample of students enrolled at one of 28 universities across the United States. Participants completed an online survey during the COVID-19 pandemic (September-December, 2020). Results: Nearly a quarter of the sample (n = 6999) reported engaging in non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), 12.41% (n = 3819) reported suicidal ideation, 4.98% (n = 1531) reported making a suicide plan, and 1.09% (n = 334) reported a suicide attempt over the past 12 months. When accounting for all COVID-19 factors in the same model, COVID-19 related concern, COVID-19 related discrimination, financial distress, and infection were significantly associated with NSSI, suicidal ideation, and suicide plan; caregiving was significantly associated with lower odds of engaging in non-suicidal self-injury. None of the factors were associated with suicide attempt. Conclusions: This study showed that various COVID-19 factors were related to SIB. Interventions may consider multiple dimensions of COVID-19 and their specific impacts.

Increasing rates of depression, anxiety, substance use, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors among college students were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This report describes how components of the Johns Hopkins Suicide Prevention Awareness, Response and Coordination (JH-SPARC) Project aligned with a multi-faceted strategy for suicide prevention. Key programs included suicide screening, gatekeeper trainings, and the use of third-party mental health services. Regarding suicide screening outcomes, staff sent 36,148 individual emails inviting students and trainees to participate in stress and depression screening. This approach garnered 2,634 responses and connected 130 students to care, 66 of whom (50.8%) indicated suicidal thoughts, plans, or behaviors. We estimate this screening cost $2.97 per student. Important lessons included the reliance on virtual platforms and the need to coordinate efforts across multiple campuses. Our manuscript provides an example of a transferable strategy for suicide prevention on college campuses in the pandemic era.

Suicide has been identified as the second leading cause of death among adolescents in the USA. Although neighborhood violence has also been identified as a major public health issue, few studies have examined the association between exposure to neighborhood violence and suicidal behaviors among adolescents using a large nationally representative sample. Guided by the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide, this study examined the cross-sectional association between exposure to neighborhood violence and suicidal behaviors among adolescents. Data for this study came from the 2021 Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey (n = 7663, 52.1% Female). The outcome variables investigated in this study were suicidal ideation and suicide attempts, and the main explanatory variable was exposure to neighborhood violence. Data were analyzed using sequential hierarchical binary logistic regression. Of the 7663 adolescents examined, 20.1% experienced suicidal ideation and 8.9% attempted suicide at least once during the past 12 months. About 21% of the adolescents reported being exposed to neighborhood violence. Controlling for other factors, we found that exposure to neighborhood violence was associated with 1.38 times higher odds of making suicide attempts (AOR = 1.38, p = 0.029, 95% CI 1.04-1.84). The findings of this study could inform clinicians, practitioners, and school counselors on how to identify adolescents who may be particularly at risk of suicide attempts and focus efforts on prevention.

This study purposed to investigate the lived experiences of out of school teenage mothers during pregnancy, and post-delivery in Rusororo Sector, Gasabo district, Kigali City. It is a qualitative study that used case study design to investigate the school teenage mothers (participants) on their perceived school experience with fellow students, teachers and school leaders, study courses, and parents; the psychological and socio economic effects, and their future education perceptions. Purposive sampling was used to select the sample size participants and the area of study. Convenience sampling and snowball sampling were used to reach the available participants. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. Thus, using interviews, data was collected through note taking and voice/audio-recording. In data analysis, data was analyzed through manual comparative and thematic analyses. Results showed that teenage mothers view of further education is attainable through vocational training; pregnancy had psychological effects of depression, loneliness, self-denial on them; pregnancy had social effects of parental denial and expulsion and economic effects of hard living and doing manual work for survival; its educational effects include dropout and study retardation; teenage mothers lived a sorrowful experience of single living without support and most attempt suicide while pregnant. Solutions to curb pregnancy among teenage girls include forum discussions, sex temptation identification, parent-daughter discussion, counseling services and offender punishment. It was concluded that teenage mothers lived a sorrowful and unsupported life that make them academic dropouts. The study provided broad insights and a framework on the teenage mothers' lived experience and their education.

Adolescent suicide is a public health issue with 15 percent of adolescents experiencing the suicide loss of a classmate, acquaintance, or friend. This article reports findings from an online survey of individuals (N = 40) who lost a peer to suicide in middle or high school. The most frequently provided school-based postvention responses were school counselors, outside grief counselors, education on depression and suicide, and assemblies. Participants identified the following student needs from schools following a student suicide death: genuineness and sincerity of response, easy-to-access supports, recognition that students need help and support, awareness that students have different needs following a death, opportunities for commemoration, and flexibility in terms of academic requirements and expectations. Implications for schools are discussed, including the importance of resources for teachers and other staff supporting students, a trauma-informed response, and the careful consideration of the balance of suicide prevention and grief. Most important, it is essential for schools to recognize the magnitude of the impact of a suicide death on students, and that students need help and support from the school.

We analyzed the Healthcare Cost and Utilization State Emergency Department (ED) Databases and State Inpatient Databases for all individuals who were 2 years of age or older with at least one ED visit from 2011 to 2016 in New York to estimate the association between suicide and non-fatal injury-related ED visits and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Our study included 14.4 million individuals with 43.5 million ED visits. Of those, 31,946 (0.2%) individuals had ASD accounting for 162,440 ED visits (0.4%). Compared to those without ASD, individuals with ASD had 2.1 more ED visits on average, higher shares of inpatient ED visits, more years of ED utilization, and higher prevalence of mental health-related comorbidities and diagnoses and self-injury-related ED visits. Among the ASD cohort, 6.1% had at least one self-injury-related ED visit compared to 2.2% among those without ASD. Using multivariable regressions adjusted for sociodemographic, clinical, contextual, and visit-level characteristics, we found that individuals with ASD were significantly more likely to have at least one self-injury-related ED visit compared to those without ASD. Our findings highlight the importance of raising awareness among caregivers and providers about the increased self-injury risk that individuals with ASD face and to tailor care delivery practices towards their needs.

Suicide is an important issue facing students on college campuses. Student journalists face unique challenges covering suicide, including ethical considerations related to headline wording, text descriptions, and sourcing. Health advocates, news outlets, and professional journalism organizations partnered to develop guidelines for responsible suicide reporting. This study sought to understand the extent to which student journalists complied with the recommendations, which were designed to prevent so-called "copycat" deaths. Using content analysis, the study examined how 51 student newspapers covered suicide more than 3 years (2019-2021). It offers recommendations for students and advisors.

Schools are ideal locations for youth to receive mental health and social-emotional programming. Despite the well-established need for school-based mental health programs, many schools do not offer these programs, and those that do often face implementation challenges that hinder the effectiveness of the programs. Peer-led programs may be an effective way to implement school-based mental health prevention efforts. Peer-led programs employ influential student leaders trained to deliver prevention content and serve as role models to their peers. Understanding potential barriers to the implementation of school-based programs is critical to ensure these programs have a meaningful impact on students and schools. The current qualitative phenomenological study examines the lessons learned from implementing the "Sources of Strength" ("Sources") prevention program in 11 high schools in a western US state. "Sources" is an evidence-based peer-led suicide prevention program focused on developing protective factors and promoting resilience in schools. Implementing the "Sources" program was successful in many ways, including facilitating positive student-staff interactions, cultivating a welcoming and inclusive environment in the school community, and encouraging community outreach. Barriers to implementation were also found, including time constraints, low peer leader engagement, inefficient communication between peer leaders, need for additional guidance from program staff, and school buy-in. The findings provide program developers and schools with strategies to help strengthen program implementation and highlight challenges that "Sources" and similar peer-led programs face.