Citation

LeCloux M. J. Teach. Soc. Work 2021; 41(4): 389-407.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/08841233.2021.1954577

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Although social workers are increasingly likely to encounter suicidal clients in their practice, many are under-prepared to address the issue of suicide, and significant deficiencies in suicide education exist in social work graduate programs. This study examined the acceptability and effectiveness of a brief yet comprehensive online module covering suicide risk assessment and treatment deployed as part of a required master's level social work course. Students completed online pre- and posttest surveys that measured suicide-related knowledge, perceived preparedness, and confidence, and rated various elements of the module. A total of N =53 MSW students participated in the study, of whom N = 45 completed both the pre- and posttests. Scores for suicide-related knowledge, perceived preparedness, and confidence increased significantly from pre- to posttest (p's <.001). The majority of students (95.7%) were satisfied or highly satisfied with the overall content, comprehensiveness, and format of the module. However, most (70.2%) reported a preference for face-to-face or hybrid delivery methods for suicide-related material. Implications discussed include the use of synchronous elements to address student anxiety related to suicide-related content, the utility of pre-prepared online learning modules to address curriculum related barriers, and the importance of well-designed online materials.

Language: en

Keywords

distance education; online pedagogy; social work curriculum; Suicide education; suicide prevention