Educator’s views on suicide prevention in high schools and what they need

BACKGROUND: Suicide is the leading cause of death among youth. Although school-aged youth are surrounded by educators and professionals, little is known about what educators want to know regarding suicide. OBJECTIVE AND DESIGN: The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perceived learning needs of high school educators in Northwestern Ontario (NWO) regarding suicide prevention using semi-structured interviews. RESULTS: The results yielded educators prefer learning based on a mixture of styles that is relevant to their student needs; noting that time constraints are a barrier. Educators are interested in knowing what to say; however, limited by the unknown legalities involved. Educators expressed being comfortable talking about suicide and understood basic warning signs. CONCLUSIONS: The findings can assist mental health professionals and school board administration in supporting educators regarding suicide prevention. Future research can include the creation of a suicide prevention program that is targeted exclusively for high school educators.