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Abstract
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Youth suicide is a critical public health issue. School-based suicide prevention programs are one strategy to address youth suicide. This research study explores students' (N = 2,806) perspectives on the SOS Signs of Suicide program, a school-based suicide prevention program for youth
in grades six through twelve that includes education and screening. Most youth supported the implementation of SOS (84.2%) and universal screening (86.3%) by the school and reported that they did not experience increased stress and/or anxiety (90.3%) or sadness (93.8%) because of the screening
process. Feedback on the SOS process was generally positive (80%), with some youth (20.7%) offering constructive feedback directed toward improvement of the program. A small number of youth (0.9%) had negative experiences but screening was viewed positively by most youth, with 55.5 percent
feeling generally positive about the experience; 9.5 percent describing it as simple and easy; and 9.2 percent identifying it as educational, sparking insight and reflection. Some youth (6.2%) offered critical feedback on the screening process, and a few (3.7%) said that it evoked negative
feelings, describing it as uncomfortable or scary. Students who were identified as at risk were more likely to experience the screening process as stressful, provoking anxiety or sadness. Implications for school administrators who are considering implementing SOS and universal screening, as
well as for mental health professionals supporting the SOS program, are identified and discussed.
Language: en |