Awareness and Mental Health Literacy of Teachers on Suicide Prevention and Intervention in Schools

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among children and adolescents. Suicidal thoughts, expressions, and attempts are even more common among students. These often relate to mental health disorders (such as depression, trauma-related disorders, eating disorders, and delusional disorders), but can also occur independently and suddenly. Schools and teachers may therefore be confronted with the issue of suicidality. When teachers experience crises and emergencies involving students, questions arise regarding available support and responsibilities. Insufficient knowledge about students' suicidality and how to handle it can lead to helplessness, fear, and stress among teachers. It is assumed that teachers lack adequate knowledge about the responsibilities within Germany's fragmented help and treatment system. Project Goals The aim of the collaborative project is to systematically assess and analyze the knowledge and needs of teachers in this area. Another goal is to investigate the situation and needs of students regarding suicidality in schools through a participatory research approach. From this, the third goal is to develop practical models and modules for the training and continuing education of teachers, which will then be evaluated. Project Partners This research project is a collaboration between the City of Oldenburg and Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg. The interdisciplinary and multi-professional team consists of Dr. Christina Vesterling (Project Lead) and Dr. Peter Orzessek from the City of Oldenburg, and Prof. Dr. Ute von Düring (Project Lead), Dr. Naska Goagoses, and Dr. Jessica Wilke from the Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg.