Improving School Psychologists’ Knowledge and Confidence Pertinent to Suicide Prevention Through Professional Development

Abstract

This study evaluated a professional development intervention that stemmed from a university-district partnership and was developed through participatory action research. Baseline and postintervention survey items showed participating school psychologists' (n = 57) knowledge related to youth suicide improved reliably immediately after the intervention in all content knowledge areas. At 9-month follow-up, participants (n = 41) retained knowledge gains relevant to assessment and intervention strategies, whereas knowledge relevant to prevention and postvention activities declined. Increases in participants' confidence in their abilities to execute different suicide-related professional activities and in their confidence in working with diverse youth in relation to suicide risk maintained over time. At follow-up, 87% of participants who had received referrals for suicidal students reported accessing products from the professional development, compared with 40% of practitioners without the impetus of a suicidal student. Participants rated the professional development to be between "mostly" and "very" useful in facilitating their work with suicidal youth.

School-based gatekeeper training programmes in enhancing gatekeepers’ cognitions and behaviours for adolescent suicide prevention: a systematic review

“…Gatekeeper skills (1) Skills in dealing with mental illness: Self-developed item; 1 item (2) Skills in dealing with self-harm: Self-developed item; 1 item Significant increase in perceived skills at post-test (d = 0.78) and maintained at follow-up (d = − 0.66) Significant increase in perceived skills at post-test (d = 1.40) and maintained at follow-up (d = − 0.20) 4. Self-efficacy (1) Confidence in dealing with mental illness: Self-developed item; 1 item (2) Confidence in dealing with self-harm: Self-developed item; 1 item Significant increase in confidence at post-test (d = 0.58) and maintained at follow-up (d = − 0.14) Significant increase in confidence at post-test (d = 1.12) and maintained at follow-up (d = − 0.09) Suldo et al [ 43 ] United States 121 School Psychologists 41.1 (SD = 10.8) 18.3% Gatekeeper NA 4 h; 53% 9 months; 66.1% 1. Knowledge Knowledge on prevention, intervention, postvention, and overall knowledge score: Adapted from previous study [ 58 ]; 15 items Significant time effect in all 4 scores at post-test (d = 0.45, 0.37, 0.75 and 0.80, respectively).…”

“…Johnson et al [ 42 ] further created an online conference work group. Five other studies performed diverse interactive trainings [ 22 , 40 , 43 – 45 ]. Mackesy-Amiti et al [ 46 ] conducted a 4 h postvention programme which prepared participants for developing and implementing a crisis plan for sudden loss as a way for suicide prevention.…”

“…Thirteen studies assessed the outcome of gatekeepers’ knowledge; all of which showed benefits in increasing knowledge. Seven of these studies employed or adapted measure items from previous studies [ 13 , 21 , 43 , 45 , 47 – 49 ]. Of the four studies with a pretest–posttest-control (PPC) design, both of the two trials which compared QPR with a blank control reported significant training condition effects on improving declarative knowledge and self-perceived general knowledge [ 21 , 29 ].…”

“…All the eight studies with a single-group pre-post-test (SGPP) design detected a significant increase in specific knowledge outcomes immediately after the gatekeeper trainings, including knowledge about suicide prevention [ 42 , 44 , 45 , 49 ]. suicidality-related self-injury [ 47 , 48 ], crisis preparing for suicide postvention [ 46 ], and comprehensive suicide-related practices [ 43 ]. However, findings on the long-term effects of gatekeeper trainings were inconsistent.…”

“…Robinsons et al [ 47 ] reported a reduction in knowledge at the 6 month follow-up among participants rated at the high knowledge level at post-test, whilst a steady increase among those at the moderate level. Suldo et al [ 43 ] found that only score on knowledge about intervention was maintained at 9 month follow-up, whereas scores on that about prevention, postvention and total knowledge decreased significantly from post-test to follow-up.…”