Abstract
Background: Gatekeeper training is a promising suicide prevention strategy that is growing in popularity. Although gatekeeper training programs have been found to improve trainee knowledge, self-efficacy, and perceived skills, researchers have found that the benefit of gatekeeper training may not last over time. Aims: The purpose of this study was to identify strategies for strengthening the long-term effects of suicide prevention gatekeeper training. Method: In-depth interviews and focus groups were conducted with gatekeepers (N = 44) and data were analyzed using a qualitative research approach. Results: The results of this study suggest that posttraining interventions may be more effective if they include the following seven themes: (a) social network – connecting with other gatekeepers; (b) continued learning – further education; (c) community outreach – building awareness; (d) accessibility – convenience; (e) reminders – ongoing communication; (f) program improvement –- enhancing previous training; and (g) certification – accreditation. Conclusion: Posttraining interventions that incorporate the themes from this study offer a promising direction in which to sustain the effects of gatekeeper suicide prevention training.
References
(2000). Prevention program sustainability: The state’s perspective. Journal of Community Psychology, 28(3), 353–362.
. (2002). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct. Washington, DC: Author.
(1990). Effectiveness of booster sessions in the maintenance and enhancement of treatment gains following assertion training. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 58(6), 845–854.
(2009). Transfer of training 1988-2008: An updated review and agenda for future research. International Review of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 24, 41–70.
(2005). Effectiveness of distal and proximal goals as transfer-of-training interventions: A field experiment. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 16(3), 369–385.
. (2012). Suicide facts at a glance. Retrieved from www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/Suicide_DataSheet-a.pdf
(2008). Project Safety Net: CSU final report. Retrieved from www.cdphe.state.co.us/pp/suicide/
(2007). Proximate outcomes of gatekeeper training for suicide prevention in the workplace. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 37(6), 659–670.
(2011). Does practice make perfect? A randomized control trial of behavioral rehearsal on suicide prevention gatekeeper skills. Journal of Primary Prevention, 32, 195–211.
(2003). Organizational characteristics of successful innovative health programs are sustained over time. Family and Community Health, 26(3), 177–193.
(1992). Factors affecting the opportunity to perform trained tasks on the job. Personnel Psychology, 45, 511–527.
(2000). Emergency response training. Strategies for enhancing real-world performance. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 75, 195–215.
(1991). Effects of self-efficacy and post-training intervention on the acquisition and maintenance of complex interpersonal skills. Personnel Psychology, 44, 837–861.
(1967). The discovery of grounded theory: Strategies for qualitative research. New York, NY: Aldine.
(2002). Training in organizations (4th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
(1993). Working with people: What kind of recognition do staff nurses want? The American Journal of Nursing, 93(5), 64–68.
(2001). Youth suicide prevention. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 31(Suppl), 6–31.
(2006). The alliance against depression: 2-year evaluation of a community-based intervention to reduce suicidality. Psychological Medicine, 36, 1225–1233.
(2004). School-based health education programs can be maintained over time: Results from the CATCH institutionalization study. Preventative Medicine, 38, 594–606.
. (2009). Gatekeeper training as a preventative intervention for suicide: A systematic review. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 54(4), 260–268.
(2009). Tennessee lives count: Statewide gatekeeper training for youth suicide prevention. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 40(2), 126–133.
(2003). Risk of suicide and related adverse outcomes after exposure to a suicide prevention programme in the U.S. Air Force: Cohort study. British Medical Journal, 327, 1–5.
(2014). Feasibility of a web-based gatekeeper training: Implications for suicide prevention. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1111/sltb.12086
(2006). Faith in action: Capacity and sustainability of volunteer organizations. Evaluation and Program Planning, 29, 201–207.
(2008). Evaluation of gatekeeper training for suicide prevention in veterans. Archives of Suicide Research, 12(2), 148–154.
(2002). Continuing medical education and the physical learner: Guidance to the evidence. JAMA, 288(9), 1057–1106.
(2011). The effects of situational obstacles and social support on suicide-prevention gatekeeper behaviors. Crisis, 32(5), 264–271.
(1986). The influence of trainees attitudes on training effectiveness: Test of a model. Personnel Psychology, 39, 497–523.
(1998). Correlates of the sustainability of community-based heart health promotion interventions. Preventative Medicine, 27, 702–712.
(2007). QPR gatekeeper training for suicide prevention: The model, rationale, and theory. Spokane, WA: QPR Institute.
(1995). The effects of individual and transfer environment characteristics on the opportunity to perform trained tasks. Training Research Journal, 1, 29–48.
(2008). An evaluation of suicide gatekeeper training for school counselors and teachers. Professional School Counseling, 11(6), 386–394.
(2003). Diffusion of innovations (5th ed.). New York, NY: Free Press.
(2013). An assessment of suicide-related knowledge and skills among health professionals. Health Psychology, 33(2), 110–119.
(2007). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory. New York, NY: Sage Publications.
(1991). Personal and situational characteristics influencing the effectiveness of transfer of training improvement strategies. Journal of Occupational Psychology, 64, 167–177.
(2000). Network exchange theory: Recent developments and new directions. Social Psychology Quarterly, 63(4), 324–337.
(1999). Hierarchies and cliques in the social networks of health care professionals: Implications for the design of dissemination strategies. Social Science & Medicine, 48, 633–646.
(1986). Posttraining strategies for facilitating positive transfer: An empirical exploration. Academy of Management Journal, 29(3), 503–520.
(2008). Introducing qualitative research methods in psychology (2nd ed.). Maidenhead, UK: McGare Hill/Open University Press.
(2008). Randomized trial of a gatekeeper program for suicide prevention: 1-year impact on secondary school staff. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology,76, 104–115.
