Experimental and pragmatic approaches to the incidence of adolescent suicide

Since the early 1960s, the incidence of adolescent suicide has been increasing at an alarming rate. In response, social science researchers working in both the experimental and pragmatic epistemological paradigms have been studying the processes involved in this phenomenon and developing suicide prevention and suicide response programs in schools. In this article we review general issues involved in the contrasting and, at times, conflicting approaches taken by experimental and pragmatic researchers to adolescent suicide. These issues are then illustrated in a case study in which experimental and pragmatic proponents worked together on an evaluation of a school-based suicide education program.