Evaluation of an Online Gatekeeper Training Tailored to Help Educators Identify, Approach, and Refer Students in Psychological Distress

Abstract

This study sought to investigate whether the Kognito gatekeeper training was related to changes in educators' suicide prevention appraisals and behaviors (number of students identified, approached, and referred). Educators significantly increased their preparedness, likelihood, self-efficacy, and overall appraisals to intervene with at-risk students. Chi-square goodness of fit tests revealed that most educators did not change suicide intervention behaviors. Natural gatekeeper status (e.g. educators approaching students at baseline) predicted changes in suicide intervention behaviors; self-efficacy change, however, did not precede behavior change. Exploratory analysis revealed that prior suicide prevention training and being required to take Kognito did not predict appraisal or behavior change. The findings taken as a whole indicate gatekeeper training alone appears insufficient to change suicide prevention behaviors, and accordingly, suicide prevention needs to employ a comprehensive approach.