A Phenomenological Inquiry on Youth Suicide Gatekeepers’ Intervention Experience for Suicide Prevention

This phenomenological study explored the lived experience of youth gatekeepers’ suicide prevention processes with people at suicide risk. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 participants, and data were analyzed using Giorgi’s phenomenological method. As a result, five themes emerged: ‘Trembling in the face of suicide crisis’, ‘Moving forward amid fear and guilt’, ‘Embracing with compassion’, ‘Obstacles that hold me back’, and ‘Lingering rewards and scars’. In sum, youth gatekeepers continued to engage in suicide prevention out of the fear of loss and compassion, while experiencing anxiety and bewilderment. Furthermore, they experienced disappointment and frustration when confronting various obstacles. After the crisis they reported a sense of fulfillment and emotional scars. Based on these findings, implications to promote gatekeeper suicide prevention and to prevent their secondary trauma were discussed.