Adolescent Suicide Prevention: Acceptability of School‐Based Programs among Secondary School Principals

Abstract

High school principals'acceptability ratings of three school‐based programs for the prevention of adolescent suicide were examined. From a random sample of members from the 1994–1995 membership directory of the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), a total of 185 (40%) respondents completed the Suicide Prevention Program Rating Profile (SPPRP), a measure designed to evaluate the acceptability of suicide prevention programs, after reading a description of a particular prevention program. Programs evaluated for their acceptability included (1) curriculum‐based programs presented to students, (2) in‐service presentations to school staff, and (3) student self‐report screening measures. The results indicated that the curriculum‐based and staff in‐service programs were significantly more acceptable to principals than was the schoolwide student screening program. No significant differences between the acceptability of curriculum‐based and in‐service programs were found. Limitations of the study and implications for practice and research are discussed.