Youth Textline Study: Suicide Risk Detection and Beneficial Counseling Practices

We aimed to determine the proportion of suicidal texters to a youth textline, and identify counseling techniques linked to positive outcomes. We analyzed post-intervention questionnaires from 2,276 texters (14-21 years, 85.9% female) and conducted a content analysis of 462 intervention transcripts using the Crisis Call Outcome Rating Scale. Findings showed that 46.5% had seriously considered suicide in the past year, and 33.7% had previously attempted suicide. Only 37.9% with suicidal ideation at contact disclosed suicidal thoughts during the intervention. Emphasizing strengths and resources was linked to positive outcomes.