School-based prevention of adolescent suicide: Issues, obstacles, and recommendations for practice

Adolescent suicide continues to be a major concern among parents and school-based professionals. Because of the increased rate of adolescent suicide in recent years and the controversy surrounding the school's role in prevention, a variety of adolescent suicide-prevention efforts have been proposed. In this review, a number of adolescent suicide prevention procedures are examined, along with available empirical research regarding their effectiveness. Although research in this area is somewhat limited, school personnel are nevertheless encouraged to be proactive in leading school-based prevention efforts. Conclusions and recommendations for school-based practitioners are presented.