What Is Most Helpful? Integrating Gatekeeper and Peer Support Models of Suicide Prevention: Lived Experience Impacts Helping Perceptions

Adolescents and young adults have high rates of exposure to the suicide thoughts and behaviors of people in their social networks and also report frequently trying to help. The current study aimed to describe the wide array of helping actions young people take and their perceptions of what was most helpful. Data came from the cross-sectional baseline data of Project Lift-Up, a national longitudinal online survey of adolescents and young adults (ages 13-22 at baseline). Participants who reported exposure to social network members' suicide thoughts and behaviors were asked about up to 33 helping behaviors they may have tried to use. Participants' own lived experiences of self-harm were related to greater types of helping for non-suicidal self injury and lower helping for suicide ideation. Lived experience was related to perceiving helping actions to reduce risk or to help the person regulate emotions as most helpful. While the study is limited by its focus on bystanders' perceptions of helpfulness, the study helps paint a broader picture of the engaged helping young people are providing in their social networks and argues for more nuanced training of potential helpers for this population.