Helping adolescents in crisis: a case study

Suicide among adolescents is a major mental health problem in the United States. The most recent data on adolescent suicide indicate that approximately 5,170 of those between the ages of 15 and 20 took their lives. Several researchers asserted that in most cases something could have been done to prevent the actual suicide. The author developed five stages (suicidal signs, establishing rapport, making referral, constructive actions, and self-management) that may be used to help adolescents in distress. The five stages were used in a case study to demonstrate the roles played by teacher, friend, and parents in helping an adolescent through a crisis.