Abstract
Youth suicide is a leading cause of death among adolescents and represents a
major health problem for this population. The school psychologist's
involvement in this health issue spans primary, secondary, and tertiary
prevention and working with the aftermath of a suicide or suicide attempt.
Primary prevention activities involve supporting and delivering curricula
educating youth about suicide in general and promoting social problem solving in
the school milieu. Other primary prevention activities include: Screening all
students for suicidal ideation, creating networks of peer helpers, working to
reduce the availability of suicidal means (e.g. gun control), training school
personnel to identify and refer potentially suicidal individuals, and
establishing interdisciplinary crisis response teams. Secondary prevention
involves working with individuals and groups at risk for engaging in suicidal
behavior. Special education, alternative education students, gay and lesbian
youth, certain ethnic minority youth, and individuals with psychopathology need
to receive differential services and attention. Tertiary prevention requires
swift treatment and referral. Services delivered following a suicide are termed
"postvention." Suicide survivors obviously must receive
services as part of tertiary prevention, but school psychologists must be
prepared to advise school personnel on such issues as memorializing a death,
communicating information, and squelching rumors.