Suicide Prevention in the Schools: Guidelines for Middle and High School Settings. - book reviews

Adolescence, Summer, 1994

This book provides guidelines for faculty and staff in middle and high school settings who have been trained in appropriate use of the materials. These guidelines were formulated on the following assumptions: that persons working with young people need information that helps them identify the individual most at risk for suicide, need to understand the myths and causal factors connected with adolescent suicide, need to be able to recognize the "profile" that identifies individuals most at risk for suicide, and need to be able to use effective techniques to assess and refer suicidal adolescents.

To address these assumptions, the guidelines are divided into eight chapters. In Chapter 1, a description of trends with regard to adolescent suicide is provided, and causes are discussed. Chapter 2 explains the components of individual school or district-wide prevention programs. Chapters 3 and 4 address the content for faculty/staff in-service and preparation of core or crisis teams. The importance of making individual and group counseling options available to students affected by suicidal preoccupation is addressed in Chapter 5; this chapter also provides a paradigm to organize and deliver guidance and counseling in the schools. Chapter 6 outlines the elements of parent education sessions; this information is followed by lesson plans for classroom presentations in Chapter 7. Chapter 8 provides information about the legal aspects of suicide prevention in the schools.