ERIC Number: EJ1394700
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023-Oct
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1532-8759
EISSN: EISSN-1545-682X
School-Based Postvention Services: Exploring the Perspectives of Students
Mirick, Rebecca G.; Berkowitz, Lawrence
Children & Schools, v45 n4 p233-242 Oct 2023
Adolescent suicide is a public health issue with 15 percent of adolescents experiencing the suicide loss of a classmate, acquaintance, or friend. This article reports findings from an online survey of individuals (N = 40) who lost a peer to suicide in middle or high school. The most frequently provided school-based postvention responses were school counselors, outside grief counselors, education on depression and suicide, and assemblies. Participants identified the following student needs from schools following a student suicide death: genuineness and sincerity of response, easy-to-access supports, recognition that students need help and support, awareness that students have different needs following a death, opportunities for commemoration, and flexibility in terms of academic requirements and expectations. Implications for schools are discussed, including the importance of resources for teachers and other staff supporting students, a trauma-informed response, and the careful consideration of the balance of suicide prevention and grief. Most important, it is essential for schools to recognize the magnitude of the impact of a suicide death on students, and that students need help and support from the school.
Descriptors: Middle School Students, High School Students, Suicide, Adolescents, Intervention, Counseling, Education, Student Needs, Coping, Grief, Resources, School Role, Trauma Informed Approach
Oxford University Press. Great Clarendon Street, Oxford, OX2 6DP, UK. Tel: +44-1865-353907; Fax: +44-1865-353485; e-mail: jnls.cust.serv@oxfordjournals.org; Web site: http://cs.oxfordjournals.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Junior High Schools; Middle Schools; Secondary Education; High Schools
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A