Citation

Sareen J, Isaak C, Bolton SL, Enns MW, Elias B, Deane F, Munro G, Stein MB, Chateau D, Gould M, Katz LY. Depress. Anxiety 2013; 30(10): 1021-1029.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada; Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/da.22141

PMID

23761133

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Gatekeeper training aims to train people to recognize and identify those who are at risk for suicide and assist them in getting care. Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST), a form of gatekeeper training, has been implemented around the world without a controlled evaluation. We hypothesized that participants in 2 days of ASIST gatekeeper training would have increased knowledge and preparedness to help people with suicidal ideation in comparison to participants who received a 2-day Resilience Retreat that did not focus on suicide awareness and intervention skills (control condition). METHODS: First Nations on reserve people in Northwestern Manitoba, aged 16 years and older, were recruited and randomized to two arms of the study. Self-reported measures were collected at three time points-immediately pre-, immediately post-, and 6 months post intervention. The primary outcome was the Suicide Intervention Response Inventory, a validated scale that assesses the capacity for individuals to intervene with suicidal behavior. Secondary outcomes included self-reported preparedness measures and gatekeeper behaviors. RESULTS: In comparison with the Resilience Retreat (n = 24), ASIST training (n = 31) was not associated with a significant impact on all outcomes of the study based on intention-to-treat analysis. There was a trend toward an increase in suicidal ideation among those who participated in the ASIST in comparison to those who were in the Resilience Retreat. CONCLUSIONS: The lack of efficacy of ASIST in a First Nations on-reserve sample is concerning in the context of widespread policies in Canada on the use of gatekeeper training in suicide prevention.

Language: en