Improving Guidelines of Practice for the Prevention and Response of Suicidality in Post-Secondary Institutions

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Suicide on post-secondary campuses is a pressing concern, with many students in Canada demanding that post-secondary institutions improve their policies and procedures for supporting students with suicidality. The past decade has shown an increase in research and literature on students with mental health illnesses including depression and anxiety, while research specifically on the prevention of and response to suicide at post-secondary institutions is lacking. This article expands upon current literature on suicidality in post-secondary institutions and provides recommendations including further areas of research, addressing risk factors, promoting educational awareness, and increasing help-seeking behaviour to future researchers and post-secondary professionals seeking to improve guidelines for practice in supporting students experiencing suicidality.