QPR Gatekeeper Training Results for Different Age Groups

1
QPR Gatekeeper Training Results for Different Age
Groups

• Paul Davis, Ph.D.

2
Introduction

• Community gatekeeper training programs typically
  present information about the prevalence of
  suicide, suicidal warning signs and risk factors,
  and steps that can be taken to intervene in a
  suicidal crisis. Although the age of the
  recipients of community gatekeeper trainings can
  vary significantly, little is known about
  post-presentation changes in suicide knowledge
  between youth and adults recipients. More
  importantly, little is known about
  post-presentation changes in attitudes toward
  intervening in a suicidal crisis to help save a
  life.

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Goal

• The goal of this study was to explore whether
  differences between youth and adults exist in
  self-reported measures of suicide prevention
  knowledge, resources, and attitudes toward
  intervening in a suicidal crisis after receiving
  a one-hour gatekeeper training in youth suicide
  prevention.

4
Methods

• A total of 404 (171 male, 233 female)
  individuals (ages 11 to 75) completed the QPR
  Institute (QPRI)-Washington State Youth Suicide
  Prevention Program (WSYSPP) Pre-Post Test in
  community gatekeeper trainings in Washington
  State during 2000-2001. The questionnaire was
  created by QPRI to assess post-training changes
  in knowledge of suicide prevention information
  and resources (low, medium, high), and attitudes
  toward intervening in suicidal crisis (not very
  likely, somewhat likely, and very likely) after
  receiving a QPRI/WSYSPP Gatekeeper Training.

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Questionnaire

• Questionnaire items are presented in Table 1.
• Four groups were created to explore differences
  in post-presentation knowledge and attitude
  changes (11-14 15-18 19-24 25 and older).
  Analyses were also completed to assess gender
  effects between two age groups (11-24 25 and
  older).

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Table 1 Knowledge Items

• How would you rate your knowledge of suicide in
  the following areas (low, medium, high)?
• - Facts concerning suicide prevention
• - Warning signs of suicide
• - How to ask someone about suicide
• - Persuading someone to get help
• - How to get help for someone
• - Information about local resources for help
  with suicide
• Please rate your level of understanding about
  suicide and suicide prevention

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Table 1 Cont. Attitude Items

• How likely it would be for you to do the
  following things (not very likely, somewhat
  likely, highly likely)
• - Ask someone if they are suicidal
• - Tell a suicidal person who to talk to for help
• - Call a crisis line (e.g., 911) to get help for
  someone you believe is about to suicide
• - Go with a suicidal person to get help (e.g.,
  hospital, mental health center, counselor)
• - If you believe someone might be thinking
  about suicide, would you feel that asking them
  about suicide is appropriate? (never, sometimes,
  always)

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Results

• Quality of Training
• 95 of the respondents rated the overall quality
  of the training in the good to excellent range
  (28 excellent, 42 very good, 25 good, 4 fair,
  and 1 poor). 94 endorsed recommending the
  trainings to others.
• Pre-Post Changes in Knowledge and Attitudes.
• Repeated measures analysis showed significant
  self-reported post-test increases for measures of
  knowledge and attitudes for all four age groups.

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Results

• Post-test Differences in Knowledge by Age Group
• Results indicate that the youngest participants
  (11-14 year-olds) rated themselves lower than
  older participants in their knowledge of suicidal
  facts, how to ask someone about suicide, and how
  to persuade someone to get help.

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Post-test Differences in Attitude by Age Group

• Results also indicate that the youngest
  participants (11-14 year-olds) rated themselves
  lower than older participants in the likelihood
  that they would engage in all of the suicide
  prevention interventions listed for someone they
  knew was suicidal. In addition, 15-18 year-olds
  rated themselves lower than those 25 and older in
  the likelihood that they would ask someone if
  they were suicidal and go with a suicidal person
  to get help. Thus it appears mature adults may
  be better prepared to act as suicide prevention
  gatekeepers for youth.

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Contact Information

• Paul Davis, Ph.D. can be contacted through the
  QPR Institute. This paper was presented in a
  poster session at the 2001 Annual Conference of
  the American Association of Suicidology. Contact
  the QPR Institute for data tables.