High School Teachers' Experiences With Suicidal Students: A Descriptive Study

Teachers are widely considered key gatekeepers to mental health services for students at risk for suicide. Using data from 120 teachers at two Denver-area high schools, this study investigated teachers' experiences with suicidal students. Analyses revealed that the majority of teachers (58.8%) reported that at least one student had disclosed suicidal thoughts or behavior, and that almost 1 in 4 of these teachers had received no suicide prevention training. Even among those receiving such training, the median amount was only 2 hours. The results underscore the important front-line role of teachers in suicide prevention efforts, as well as their need for suicide prevention training.