Judith Springer, Psy. D.
Clinical and Professional Board Member, SPTS

Workshop Objectives
• Provide basic information about suicide and suicide prevention.
 Discuss relationship between suicide prevention and bullying prevention.
 Define educators’ crucial, although limited, role in schools’ suicide prevention efforts
• Review the roles of parents and students in suicide prevention.

Each year, there are approximately 10 youth suicides for every 100,000 youths in the United States .
Each day , there are approximately 11 youth suicides in our country.
Every 2 hours and 11 minutes one person under the age of 25 completes suicide.
One preventable death is one too many.

A
Personal
Perspective
The other side of facts and figures

Stephanie’s Story

SUICIDAL BEHAVIOR
Attempt to solve a problem of intense pain with impaired skills

CHARACTERISTICS OF SUICIDE
• Alternative
1.
• Crisis Thinking
2.
• Ambivalence
3.
• Irrational
4.
5.
• Communication
– (Shneideman, 1985)
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Youth Suicide is a Preventable
Mental Health Problem
– Research shows that clues or warning signs can be detected by others.
– Research has demonstrated that restriction of lethal means can reduce attempts.
– Clinical evidence identifies suicidal thinking as crisis thinking that can be altered by crisis intervention techniques.
– Evidence demonstrates the effectiveness of medication & cognitive behavioral treatment for symptoms of depression.

Suicide
Prevention
Strategies
• Awareness
• Education about Identification
• Support and Response

What is a “Competent”
Prevention Community?
• Concern for youth suicide prevention is shared by all community members.
• All members can recognize signs of risk.
• The community has a coordinated fabric of prevention activities that are integrated into established community services.
• All members know how and where to get help when a community member is in need, and are willing and able to do so .

Essential Partner in Prevention:
A Limited but Critical Role

What educators need to be able to do
 Understand basic information about suicide
 Know their role in their school’s suicide prevention strategy
 Recognize students who may be at risk
 Understand crucial, but limited, role of identification and referral

Red: Warning Signs
Yellow : Risk Factors
Green: Protective
Factors

Risk Factors: Non-Clinical
• Age
• Sex
• Race
• Sexual orientation
• “Giftedness”
• Family
– History of suicide
– Abuse
• Exposure
– To death of peer
• Recent Stressors
– Loss
– Trouble- E.g. being bullied or bullying others
– Change – transition
– Access to means
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15

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How can Bullying Affect
Students Who are Targeted?
 Short-term
– Sadness, fear, anger, pain, loneliness, and embarrassment
– School avoidance; academic problems
 Long-term
– Internal expressions like depression and eating disorders
– External expressions may include poor grades, aggression and violence
– Very rarely but tragically, suicide attempts and completions; homicide.
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Is Bullying a Suicide
Risk Factor?
• What research tells us about connections between bullying and suicidal ideation
– Targeted students are 2-9x more likely to report suicidal thoughts than non-bullied peers.
– Students who bully are also at increased risk for suicidal behavior.
– Students who both bully and are bullied are at the highest risk.
18

Vulnerabilities for Bullying
• Most common targets:
– Sexual orientation
– Race
– Body Size
– Gender presentation
• Other targets: depressed, learning disabled, socially awkward, developmentally delayed, obese
• BOTTOM LINE? These are also risk factors for suicide.
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Association between LGBTQ and Bullying and Suicide
• Rate of suicidal ideation and for sexual minority youth attempts are higher
– LGB youth about 3x more likely to make attempt or ideate than non-LGB youth
(Silenzio et al, 2007)
• 50% of sexual minority youth get bullied, threatened, assaulted by peers (
D’Augelli, 1998;
Freedman, 2011)

Victimization-Suicidality Pathway
Victimization
Depression
Suicide ideation, attempts, completions
Pre-existing Vulnerabilities
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Clinical Risk Factors
• Psychiatric diagnosis
• Drug / alcohol use
• Previous attempt
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Most Common Diagnoses in Teen Suicide
Depression
Conduct Disorder
Anxiety
Substance Abuse
18- to 19-year olds*
MALE
(N=213)
50%
43%
19%
38%
60 – 67%
FEMALE
(N=46)
69%
24%
48%
17%
13%
Brent et al. 1999, Shaffer et al. 1996
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Access to Means…
Most Preventable
Risk Factor
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When Risk Factors Converge
Access to Means
Demographic
Family
Clinical
Exposure
Stressors
25

F = Feelings
A = Actions
C =Changes
T = Threats
S = Situations

• Hopelessness
• Anger
• Worthlessness
• Emptiness
• Excessive worry
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• Trying to get access to guns or pills
• Risky or dangerous behaviors
• Increasing drug/alcohol use
• Getting into fights
• Writing suicidal messages on social networking sites
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• One of the most significant warning signs in adolescents
• Changes in moods, actions or behaviors
• Recent prescription, change in psychiatric medication
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• Specific verbal statements :I want to die, I want to kill myself
• Worrisome innuendos
• Themes of death /destruction in school assignments
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• Situations that may serve as a trigger- when a student’s coping skills are really challenged, especially:
– Loss – e.g. family death or divorce; breakup
– Change
– Getting into trouble
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Protective Factors
• Personal, behavioral, or situational characteristics that help students become resilient despite risks.

Protective Factors
• Caring relationship with at least one trusted adult
• Sense of connection/meaningful participation in school
• Positive self-esteem and good coping skills
• Access to care for emotional/physical problems, substance abuse
• Cultural/religious beliefs that discourage suicide and promote selfpreservation

Fostering Protective Factors
• Teach students it is okay to ask for help.
• Give students permission to talk about traumatic events like suicide.
• Help students identify trusted adults.
• Encourage participation in school & community activities
• Acknowledge student efforts
• Be a good listener, as often as you can

Making it Real…
DEALING WITH AT-RISK STUDENTS
 BRAD
 James
 Elena
 Conner

Helping At-Risk Students
• Pay attention to who your students are, not just how they perform academically
– Notice their appearance
– Observe their social skills / relationships
– Monitor their behavior changes

Making it Real
…
DEALING WITH AT-RISK STUDENTS
 Brad
 James
 ELENA
 Conner

What About Elementary
School Students?
• Suicide by children is very rare.
• About four children in 500,000 kill themselves every year.
• The suicide rate for 10-14 year olds is on the rise.

What About Suicide Prevention for
Elementary Students?
1
.
Don’t teach “Don’t tattle.’
2. Do teach , “Ask for help if you or someone else is getting hurt” and “Friends help friends.”
3. Focus on promoting helpful behavior and preventing bullying and hurtful behavior.
4. Encourage children to identify least one trusted school adult.
5 Teach social emotional skills – e.g. self-calming and problem-solving skills.

Educators’ Role in Review
• Learning signs of risk in students
• Identifying at-risk students
• Referring to appropriate resources
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What About Parents?
Parents need to be able to:
• Understand school’s policies and procedures
• Recognize signs of trouble in their children
• Know what to do and where to go for resources
• Understand how to respond to other at-risk youth

Do Students Have a Role in
Suicide Prevention
?
• Awareness of warning signs
• Strategies for getting help
• personally
• Knowledge of ways to help peers
• Awareness of school and community resources
• Identification of caring adults

Frequently Asked Questions nswering Common Questions
Is there any crossover between bullying prevention programs and suicide prevention programs?
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Frequently Asked Questions
Address

Frequently Asked Questions
Is Talking about Suicide
Just a Way for Someone to Get Attention?

Frequently Asked Questions
Can Talking about
Suicide Plant the Idea in the Minds of
Vulnerable Teens?

Stacy’s Story

FREE Resources for the
Competent Community
• Teacher training online
• Parent video“Not My Kid”
• Available free at: www.sptsusa.org

Additional Resources www.sprc.org
Suicide Prevention Resource Center
National resource www.afsp.org
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
Printed materials & resources www.suicidology.org
American Association of Suicidology
Data, resources, links www.maine.gov/suicide
Maine Youth Suicide Prevention Program
Extensive resources and information on youth suicide

It’s in the Shelter of Each Other…