Abstract
Suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth. Though
school-aged youth are surrounded by teachers and professionals, little
is known about what teachers want to know regarding suicide. The purpose
of this qualitative study was to explore the perceived learning needs of
high school teachers in northwestern Ontario (NWO), Canada regarding
suicide prevention using semistructured interviews. The results yielded
educators prefer learning based on a mixture of styles that is relevant
to their student needs; noting that time constraints are a barrier.
Teachers are interested in knowing what to say; however, limited by the
unknown legalities involved. Teachers expressed being comfortable
talking about suicide and understood basic warning signs. The findings
can assist mental health professionals and school board administration
in supporting teachers regarding suicide prevention. Future research can
include the creation of a suicide prevention program that is targeted
exclusively for high school educators.