Selected Texan K-12 Educators’ Perceptions of Youth Suicide Prevention Training

Melanie McKoin Owens, Alexis Zickafoose, Gary Wingenbach (), Sana Haddad, Jamie Freeny and Josephine Engels
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Melanie McKoin Owens: Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
Alexis Zickafoose: Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
Gary Wingenbach: Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
Sana Haddad: Mental Health America of Greater Houston, Houston, TX 77098, USA
Jamie Freeny: Mental Health America of Greater Houston, Houston, TX 77098, USA
Josephine Engels: Mental Health America of Greater Houston, Houston, TX 77098, USA

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 19, 1-12

Abstract: K-12 school personnel may be frontline responders for youth contemplating suicide or other harmful behaviors. Therefore, the purpose of this preliminary study was to determine selected K-12 educators’ perceptions of youth suicide prevention (YSP) training. A longitudinal trend survey with repeated measures and proportionally stratified random samples of K-12 personnel from nine Texas independent school districts provided data. Participants’ perceived knowledge of the YSP content showed significant appreciative gains between pre- and follow-up post-tests. Likewise, their confidence levels for helping students at risk of suicide and approaching other adults to talk about students at risk of suicide rose significantly between pretests and follow-up post-tests. This preliminary study reinforces the value of training educators to acquire content knowledge and confidence boosting opportunities for engagement in difficult dialogue about suicidality. YSP training helped improve educators’ confidence to engage with others about students’ mental health concerns, calling attention to the importance of identifying early warning signs that may aid in early support and prevention of youth mental health concerns.

Keywords: youth suicide prevention; training; educators; perceptions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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