Suicide intervention training for college staff: Program evaluation and intervention skill measurement |
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| Authors: | Laura Shannonhouse Yung-Wei Dennis Lin Kelly Shaw Reema Wanna Michael Porter |
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| Institution: | 1. Counseling and Psychological Services Department, College of Education and Human Development, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA;2. Educational Leadership and Counseling Department, College of Education, New Jersey City University, Jersey City, New Jersey, USA;3. Counseling &4. Student Development Center at Bucknell University, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, USA;5. Department of Earth, Ocean, &6. Atmospheric Science, College of Arts and Science, The Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA |
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| Abstract: | Objective: Suicide remains a pressing issue for college communities. Consequently, gatekeeper trainings are often provided for staff. This study examines the effect of one such program, Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST). Participants: 51 college employees received ASIST in August of 2014 and were compared to 30 wait-list control participants. Methods: Repeated Measures ANOVA were used to analyze pre- and post-training: (a) skills at responding to students-at-risk; (b) attitudes toward suicide; (c) knowledge about suicide; and (d) comfort/competence/confidence at helping a student-at-risk. Results: Significant positive training effects were observed for ASIST on self-report measures and also for objectively assessed skill at responding, after adjusting for a potential scoring limitation of the Suicide Intervention Response Inventory, Revised (SIRI-2). Conclusions: ASIST improved the self-perception of college staff at working with students-at-risk of suicide and also their skills at performing an intervention. Further, analysis of SIRI-2 data provides support for a potential instrument revision. |
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| Keywords: | College counseling measurement issues suicide intervention skills suicide prevention |
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