Practice Teachers' Responses to a Suicidal Student.

SUICIDE prevention; TEACHER training; STUDENTS; SUICIDAL behavior; UNITED States education system

The article explores how the early no-suicide agreements can be used effectively by teachers. It informs that because of the rates of suicides and attempted suicides among children and adolescents, it is reasonable to expect that teachers will face suicidal students at some time during their careers. It is encouraging that teachers become more proactive after training in suicide prevention. It further adds that one example of a proactive response is persuading a student at risk to enter into a no-suicide agreement. It informs about a study in which participants were 63 practice teachers, undergraduates in the southern United States who were completing their final semester for an education degree. Most were female elementary education specialists with little or no training in managing suicidal students. Teachers are indeed among the first to react to suicidal students. They have unique opportunities to observe behavioral changes intimating suicidality and to hear expressions of suicidal intent. Therefore, a written, formal suicide policy, coupled with staff training in specific procedures for dealing with suicidal students, is recommended. It informs that this training should include the use of age-appropriate, no-suicide agreements.