Citation

Muehlenkamp JJ, Thoen SK. Suicide Life Threat. Behav. 2019; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Eau Claire, WI, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, American Association of Suicidology, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/sltb.12552

PMID

30977549

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Suicide prevention models emphasize the importance of education as a foundational element for success. Yet, courses on suicidology are rare and those that do exist focus on clinical intervention skills at the graduate level, missing a critical population of undergraduate students. The current study evaluated the short and long-term impact of a semester long liberal education undergraduate course in suicidology.

METHOD: Students enrolled in either the experimental (Understanding Suicide) or control course completed pre- post- and 4-month follow-up surveys assessing objective knowledge about suicide, suicide stigma, attitudes towards suicidal persons, and suicide prevention advocacy.

RESULTS: Mixed repeated measures ANCOVAs indicated significant interactions between course enrollment over time for all the outcome variables. Students in the suicidology course showed significant pre- to post- increases in knowledge and suicide prevention advocacy, alongside reductions in suicide stigma and negative attitudes compared to students in the control course, who showed no significant pre-/post changes. All effects were maintained over time.

CONCLUSION: Providing general education undergraduate courses in suicidology may be an important avenue for building a motivated and informed public that can sustain suicide prevention efforts in their communities.

© 2019 The American Association of Suicidology.

Language: en