High School Suicide: Knowledge and Opinions of Teachers

• Published in: Journal of loss & trauma Vol. 12; no. 1; pp. 33 - 44
• Main Authors: Westefeld, John S., Jenks Kettmann, Julie D., Lovmo, Carolyn, Hey, Clare
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis Group 01-01-2007
• Subjects: High schools; Risk factors; Suicide; Teachers
• ISSN: 1532-5024; 1532-5032
• DOI: 10.1080/15325020600757839

Because high school faculty have infrequently been asked their views about high school suicide, 167 high school teachers from five high schools in four school districts were administered a questionnaire that asked about a variety of issues related to suicide and high school students, including the nature of the problem, risk factors, and solutions. Results indicated that a significant percentage of faculty appear uninformed about high school suicide, including what action to take when a student is at risk, although 61% of the sample felt suicide to be a problem for high school students. The need for increased education of high school teachers about the issue of suicide is discussed.