TY - JOUR
T1 - Saving Lives
T2 - A Systematic Review on the Efficacy of Theory-Informed Suicide Prevention Programs
AU - Hill, Karien
AU - Somerset, Shawn
AU - Armstrong, Deanne
AU - Schwarzer, Ralf
AU - Chan, Carina
N1 - Funding Information:
The research was supported in kind by the university and no funding was received for conducting this study.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
PY - 2022/4
Y1 - 2022/4
N2 - Suicide is a global epidemic. This review assessed the scope and effectiveness of suicide prevention programs. Systematic literature searches were conducted using PsycINFO, ERIC and MEDLINE to retrieve articles published between January 2007 and March 2017 and fulfilled inclusion criteria (studies evaluating the efficacy of theory/model-informed suicide prevention programs in increasing participant knowledge or skills when presented with a peer at risk of suicide). The review is informed by PRISMA guidelines. Of 1398 studies identified, 25 were reviewed and most: targeted professionals; were 1–4-day workshops; were underpinned by 21 different theories; taught less detail to the community than professionals; and improved target outcomes. Current programs, although effective, are limited by their inaccessibility, narrow content for the community and substantial variability in theory base. Future suicide prevention programs will benefit from being informed by a more specific theory, delivered through technology, targeting more of the community and improving methodological rigour.
AB - Suicide is a global epidemic. This review assessed the scope and effectiveness of suicide prevention programs. Systematic literature searches were conducted using PsycINFO, ERIC and MEDLINE to retrieve articles published between January 2007 and March 2017 and fulfilled inclusion criteria (studies evaluating the efficacy of theory/model-informed suicide prevention programs in increasing participant knowledge or skills when presented with a peer at risk of suicide). The review is informed by PRISMA guidelines. Of 1398 studies identified, 25 were reviewed and most: targeted professionals; were 1–4-day workshops; were underpinned by 21 different theories; taught less detail to the community than professionals; and improved target outcomes. Current programs, although effective, are limited by their inaccessibility, narrow content for the community and substantial variability in theory base. Future suicide prevention programs will benefit from being informed by a more specific theory, delivered through technology, targeting more of the community and improving methodological rigour.
KW - Community awareness
KW - Suicide prevention
KW - Technology
KW - Theory/model-informed education
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85107488375&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s10597-021-00841-6
DO - 10.1007/s10597-021-00841-6
M3 - Article
C2 - 34114121
AN - SCOPUS:85107488375
SN - 0010-3853
VL - 58
SP - 454
EP - 473
JO - Community Mental Health Journal
JF - Community Mental Health Journal
IS - 3
ER -
