High school teachers' knowledge of adolescent suicide awareness and prevention

Project (M.S.W., Social Work) -- California State University, Sacramento, 2009.This study examined the knowledge of 48 high school teachers from the same rural community in California about risk factor and warning signs associated with adolescent suicide. A quantitative positivist approach survey research design was used in this study. The most recognized risk factors were abuse, depression, and previous suicide attempts. The least recognized risk factors were students with learning disabilities, special education students, and students in the gifted programs; only about one-third of the teachers recognize that these students are at increased risk for suicide. The findings suggest that high school teachers need more training on the subject of adolescent suicide awareness, prevention, and intervention. Implications for social work practice and policy, recommendations, and future research are also discussed.Social Wor