Mental Health Practitioners’ Perceived Levels of Preparedness, Levels of Confidence and Methods Used in the Assessment of Youth Suicide Risk

• Published in: The Professional Counselor (Greensboro, N.C.) Vol. 6; no. 1; pp. 76 - 88
• Main Author: Schmidt, Robert C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Greensboro National Board for Certified Counselors 01.03.2016; National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC); National Board for Certified Counselors, Inc
• Subjects: Beliefs, opinions and attitudes; Career Readiness; Caseworker Approach; Caseworkers; Child psychopathology; Confidence; Counselor Attitudes; Counselor Qualifications; Diagnosis; Education; Evaluation; Intervention; Maryland; Medical decision making; Medical personnel; Mental health; Mental Health Programs; Prevention; Psychiatric personnel; Psychologists; Psychology; Public health; Research methodology; Risk; Risk Assessment; Risk factors; Rural schools; School Counseling; School Counselors; School districts; School Psychologists; School Surveys; Secondary school students; Secondary schools; Self destructive behavior; Self Efficacy; Skill Development; Skills; Social work; Social workers; Suicidal behavior; Suicide; Suicides & suicide attempts; Supervision; Surveys; Task forces; Virginia; Youth; Poland; United States > US; Maryland; Virginia
• ISSN: 2164-3989; 2164-3989
• DOI: 10.15241/rs.6.1.76

Mental health practitioners working within school or community settings may at any time find themselves working with youth presenting with suicidal thoughts or behaviors. Although always well intended, practitioners are making significant clinical decisions that have high potential for influencing a range of outcomes, including very negative (e.g., completed suicide) to very positive (e.g., on path to recovery). This study used an exploratory descriptive survey design to determine practitioner levels of preparedness, levels of confidence and methods used to assess suicide risk in youth. Practitioner respondents (N = 339) to a 23-item survey included professional counselors, school counselors, social workers, school psychologists and psychologists. Key findings indicate insufficient and inconsistent levels of preparedness and confidence, with respondents predominantly using an informal, non-structured interview method to obtain suicide risk level. Implications suggest a need for increased graduate training, supervision and ongoing skill development in suicide prevention and assessment.