Peer-delivered Suicide Prevention Presentation on a College Campus

Abstract

An increasing number of college students face significant mental health problems (ACHA, 2007), which places them at elevated risk for suicide. Unfortunately, many universities and colleges lack resources to effectively manage, intervene with, and prevent suicidal behavior (Gallagher, 2007). As a result, college students are often identifying their own mental health needs and frequently turn to peers for support (Haas et al., 2003). This makes college peers an important group to target for prevention initiatives. A majority of the existing suicide prevention programs are not geared towards college students, nor have their effects been rigorously assessed for long-term benefits (Mann et al., 2005; Thompkins et al., 2010). The purpose of this study was to create, implement, and evaluate the effects of a suicide awareness/gatekeeper prevention program for students.