Beyond guidelines: Evaluating the realities of suicide prevention in schools

• More resources are needed to effectively support suicide prevention in schools. • The availability of guidelines is insufficient to prevent suicide in school centers. • Teachers’ lack of knowledge, experience and training is a significant barrier. • There is a need of psychologists and other mental health specialists in schools. • Protocols should be adapted to the realities of schools facing more severe crises. Several studies have highlighted the pivotal role of educational settings in addressing suicide among adolescents. However, the specific needs and effectiveness of suicide prevention protocols in these environments require further exploration, particularly within different educational contexts. This study aims to (1) identify the needs of schools for suicide prevention, (2) assess perceptions of specific suicide prevention guidelines, and (3) explore whether experiences with suicide-related incidents influence these perceptions. We examined 282 schools in Catalonia (Spain), using a mixed methods approach to gather quantitative and qualitative data. The findings indicated significant disparities in the perceived effectiveness of the guidelines, with centers that had encountered actual suicide cases or attempts reporting different challenges compared with those that had not. This study underscores the critical need for tailored training and resources in schools to effectively support suicide prevention efforts, suggesting that the availability of guidelines is insufficient without strategic implementation and support.