Preliminary effects of brief school-based prevention approaches for reducing youth suicide--risk behaviors, depression, and drug involvement.
OBJECTIVE
Few empirically tested, school-based, suicide-prevention programs exist. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the postintervention efficacy of Counselors-CARE (C-CAST) and Coping and Support Training (CAST) vs. "usual care" controls for reducing suicide risk.


METHODS
A randomized prevention trial; 341 potential dropouts, 14 to 19 years old, from seven high schools (52% female, 56% minorities) participated. Trend analyses using data from three time points assessed over time changes.


RESULTS
Significant decreases occurred for all youth in suicide-risk behaviors, depression, and drug involvement. Intervention-specific effects occurred for decreases in depression.


CONCLUSIONS
School-based prevention approaches are feasible and show promise for reducing suicidal behaviors and related depression.
Eggert
Leona L
LL
Psychosocial and Community Health, University of Washington School of Nursing, Seattle, USA. eggert@u.washington.edu
Thompson
Elaine A
EA
Randell
Brooke P
BP
Pike
Kenneth C
KC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003419:Crisis Intervention / Q000379:methods*; D003863:Depression / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D015205:Northwestern United States; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012572:School Health Services; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control; D000092864:Suicide Prevention