Suicide prevention: University students’ narratives on their reasons for living and for dying

מאת: Testoni I., Piol S., De Leo D.
פורסם ב: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
תיאור: Social isolation and loneliness are increasing in our contemporary western society and seem to correlate with suicide inadolescents and young adults. Social Workers are a potential re-source to create such initiatives and projects that promote inclusion and cohesion within communi-ties, a protective factor against suicide. Sixty-two Social Work BA students participated in a Death Education course based on education on suicide prevention. Participants carried out two activities. First, they were invited to complete two written semi-structured interviews on young people’s reasons for living and dying. Second, they were invited to design suicide prevention interventions tar-geted at their peers and adolescents. Data were analyzed qualitatively within the Thematic Analysis framework. As regards the first activity, four main themes were identified: (1) Internet and social media; (2) social isolation and loneliness; (3) the importance of proximal relationships; and, (4) the importance of networking between proximal relationships, educational institutions and mental health services. Whereas, as for suicide prevention interventions, three main ideas were identified: (1) suicide prevention through community and networking between services; (2) academic institu-tions: high schools and universities; and, (3) suicide prevention through new technologies. To con-clude, Death Education as education on suicide prevention can offer young people a space in which to voice their and their peers’ reasons for living and dying and to reflect upon their contribution to suicide prevention as students and as future professionals. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
SDGs : SDG 03  |  יחידות:   | מועד: 2021 |  קישור