Youth suicide charges have constantly risen over the previous decade, and stigma associated to psychological well being could create a barrier to younger individuals looking for assist. Faculties are a standard intercept level for psychological well being and suicide prevention programming.
Within the newest Children & Schools, a journal co-published by NASW and Oxford College Press, an article appears on the difficulty of faculties and youth suicide prevention.
Hope Squad, a school-based, peer-to-peer, suicide prevention program, makes use of skilled and mentored college students nominated by their friends to carry out intentional outreach with fellow college students. When a Hope Squad member detects a psychological well being or suicide disaster in a peer, they alert a trusted grownup. Researchers employed a cohort, wait-list–management, cross-sectional survey design. This system recruited greater than 3,400 college students from 9 colleges—5 with Hope Squads and 4 with out—to look at variations in student-body suicide-related stigma. On the finish of the educational yr, there was considerably decrease stigma in Hope Squad colleges versus these with out this system.
Findings counsel {that a} peer-to-peer, school-based, suicide prevention program could cut back stigmatizing attitudes associated to suicide. Subsequent steps embrace a randomized managed trial to determine adjustments in help-seeking and comparable protecting elements.
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Authors:
- Jennifer L. Wright-Berryman, PhD, affiliate professor of social work, Faculty of Allied Well being Sciences, College of Cincinnati.
- Devyn Thompson, MSW, social work therapist, Mindfully, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
- Robert J. Cramer, PhD, professor, Division of Public Well being Sciences, College of North Carolina at Charlotte.
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The journal Social Work is a advantage of NASW membership. It’s accessible on-line or, at a member’s request, in print. Kids & Faculties, Well being & Social Work and Social Work Analysis can be found by subscription at a reduced price for NASW members, both on-line or in print. You will discover out extra concerning the journals and subscriptions at this link.
