Teacher preparedness for engaging in suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention

Adolescent suicide has become more frequent over the past few decades, despite school-based suicide prevention programs which have been in place since the 1970's. As youth suicide rates have increased, so has the amount of literature regarding youth suicide increased. Many authors have suggested that teachers play an important role in the prevention of youth suicide, yet very little seems to be known about teachers' preparedness for providing suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention1. This study explores teachers' perceptions of their preparedness for participating in school related suicide prevention and intervention, as well as their preparedness for postvention with other students following a suicide completion.;1For the purpose of this study, the term postvention includes all activities that a school or teacher must engage in following a completed suicide or a suicide attempt. Such activities may include, but would not be limited to, informing students of a classmate's death, engaging in individual or group discussion following a suicide attempt or completion, and providing follow-up and referrals for other at-risk students.