Training needs of primary school teachers for suicide prevention

Abstract

Suicide is a health problem affecting the child and adolescent population that must be addressed from every direction, including schools. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore the training needs of primary school teachers to support the prevention of suicide in schools. The data for the study were collected from a series of semi-structured interviews with a non-probability sample of 31 primary school teachers in Cuba who had experiences of students with suicide attempts, and processed using Atlas.ti 9 content analysis. The results reveal insufficient knowledge about the causes of suicide attempts, the risk signs of suicidal behaviour, and the role of teachers in prevention. The deficiencies observed in relation to the execution of preventive actions are attributed to the absence of established protocols, the presence of myths around the subject, and limited skills and knowledge on the part of teachers. The article concludes by recommending further research on the topic, and training courses for teachers aimed at identifying at-risk students, monitoring students with suicidal behaviour, promoting and facilitating group prevention within the school, and family counselling.