Why the study?
Increasing cases of suicidal ideation and suicide death among student-athletes highlight the need for coaches as a first line of defense.
Coaches play an essential role in suicide prevention among student-athletes by directly asking about suicidal ideation and having an action plan.
Coaches may intervene early in student-athlete suicidal ideation; leaves open efficacy of these strategies pending validation.
More and more cases of suicidal ideation and death by suicide in student-athletes are being reported on the news, through social media, and in the literature. Coaches are essential as part of the first line of defense in suicide prevention. This article provides practical ways to support a student-athlete who may be experiencing suicidal ideation by asking the difficult question, “Are you thinking about suicide?” and having a game plan if the response is “Yes”.
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Plos et al. (2025) studied this question.
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