Increasing Knowledge, Skills, and Confidence Concerning Students' Suicidality Through a Gatekeeper Workshop for...

Area of Science:

• Mental Health
• Adolescent Psychology
• Educational Psychology

Background:

• Approximately one-third of adolescents in Germany report a history of suicide ideation.
• School staff are crucial gatekeepers for identifying at-risk youth.
• Effective training is needed to equip school personnel to address adolescent suicidality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a 1.5-day gatekeeper training program for school staff.
• To assess changes in knowledge, attitudes, and skills related to adolescent suicidality.
• To examine self-reported behavioral changes and barriers at 6-month follow-up.

Main Methods:

• A total of 603 school social workers, psychologists, and teachers attended 33 workshops.
• Assessments of knowledge, attitudes, and skills were conducted pre-workshop, post-workshop, and at 6-month follow-up.
• Self-reported behavioral changes and obstacles were evaluated at 6-month follow-up.

Main Results:

• Significant increases in knowledge, perceived knowledge, and confidence regarding suicidality were observed post-workshop and maintained at 6-month follow-up.
• Attitudes toward suicidal adolescents remained neutral to positive and unchanged.
• Participants reported high satisfaction but faced obstacles like lack of resources and administrative support for behavioral changes.

Conclusions:

• The 1.5-day gatekeeper workshop effectively enhanced school staff's knowledge and confidence in managing adolescent suicidality.
• Ongoing supervision and involvement of school administration are recommended to facilitate sustained behavioral changes.
• Addressing systemic barriers is crucial for improving gatekeeper effectiveness in schools.