News & Highlights

This section presents news and highlights from SPRC and the suicide prevention field. Use the filters on the left to find the following items:

  • Weekly Spark, SPRC’s online newsletter, containing brief news articles, research summaries, announcements, and funding opportunities. Subscribe to the Weekly Spark.
  • Director’s Corner, a monthly column by SPRC leadership and guest authors.
  • From the Field, innovative activities being implemented in states, communities, healthcare organizations, and other settings.

Displaying 31 results. Refine results using the filters on the left.

Weekly Spark

Suicide Attempts among Activated Soldiers in the U.S. Army Reserve Components

December 20, 2019
Soldiers in the U.S. Army National Guard and Army Reserve, also called the reserve components, experience many of the same...
Weekly Spark

Weapon Carrying at School and Suicide Attempts among U.S. Teens

November 22, 2019
A recent study found that high school students who report carrying a weapon on school property may be at increased...
Weekly Spark

Preventing Suicide in Yup’ik Youth

November 15, 2019
A community-based intervention that promotes culturally generated reasons for life and sobriety may be a useful tool to protect Alaska...
Weekly Spark

Sociodemographics, Perceived Prejudice, and Suicidal Behaviors among College Students

November 08, 2019
College students who believe that most people hold negative views of those seeking mental health treatment (i.e., perceived public prejudice) have...
Weekly Spark

Circumstances Preceding Suicide in U.S. Soldiers

November 01, 2019
Researchers have identified common circumstances surrounding suicide deaths among U.S. Army soldiers. This information sheds light on prevention opportunities in...
Weekly Spark

Spousal Attitudes and Suicidal Thoughts

October 25, 2019
Automatic spousal attitudes—quick emotional associations with one’s husband or wife—can predict suicidal thoughts in married couples. Automatic spousal attitudes are...
Weekly Spark

PTSD Symptoms and Suicide Attempts among Military Personnel

October 18, 2019
Hyperarousal symptoms in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can predict suicide risk among combat-exposed military service members. Researchers recruited 758 active...
Weekly Spark

Suicide Attempt Survivor Perspectives on Mental Health Care

October 11, 2019
Suicide attempt survivors can provide a valuable perspective on the factors that contribute to positive experiences with mental health care...
Weekly Spark

Suicide in a Statewide Autism Population

September 27, 2019
Between 2013 and 2017, Utah’s suicide rate was significantly higher among individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) than in the...
Weekly Spark

Randomized Controlled Study of the Attempted Suicide Short Intervention Program

September 20, 2019
The Attempted Suicide Short Intervention Program (ASSIP) is a brief, patient-centered therapy that aims to reduce suicidal behavior among patients...
Weekly Spark

Psychiatric Emergency Department Visits among U.S. Youth

September 06, 2019
From 2011 to 2015, psychiatric emergency department (ED) visits increased by 28% (from 31.3 to 40.2 per 1,000) for U.S....
Weekly Spark

The Links between Opioid Use, Overdose, and Suicide

August 16, 2019
A recent review described what is known about the link between unintentional overdose and suicide and provided recommendations for addressing...
Weekly Spark

Firearms Laws and Statewide Suicide Rates

August 09, 2019
Researchers have found that states with stronger firearms laws have lower suicide rates overall and lower suicide rates by firearm....
Weekly Spark

Spread of a Peer-Led Suicide Prevention Program through School Networks

August 02, 2019
Degree of exposure to a peer-led suicide prevention program depends on individual student characteristics and closeness to peer leaders. Sources...
Weekly Spark

Impact of the Garrett Lee Smith Youth Suicide Prevention Program

July 26, 2019
Comprehensive, community-based youth suicide prevention approaches, like the Garrett Lee Smith Youth Suicide Prevention Program, can continue to decrease youth...
Weekly Spark

Impact of an Undergraduate Suicidology Course

July 19, 2019
Providing a semester-long course in suicidology as part of an undergraduate liberal arts education may help expand knowledge related to...
Weekly Spark

How Social Networks May Increase Risk after Exposure to Suicide

June 28, 2019
Cultural beliefs about suicide in a close-knit community following the suicide deaths of popular youth may facilitate the spread of...
Weekly Spark

Post-Traumatic Growth in Adults Bereaved by Suicide

June 21, 2019
A recent study examined post-traumatic growth (i.e., positive psychological change resulting from struggle with difficult life circumstances) among adult suicide...
Weekly Spark

The Qasgiq Model for Alaska Native Suicide and Alcohol Abuse Prevention

June 07, 2019
The Qasgiq Model is a strengths-based community intervention that uses Yup’ik Alaska Native indigenous knowledge to reduce youth risk for...
Weekly Spark

Suicide Gatekeeper Training and Self-Efficacy among College and University Faculty

May 24, 2019
Formal training for college and university faculty can increase their confidence in assisting students at risk for suicide. However, many...
Weekly Spark

Coping, Social Support, and Suicide Attempts among Homeless Adolescents

May 17, 2019
Homeless youth who perceive higher levels of social support, including the availability of tangible assistance, may be at decreased risk...
Weekly Spark

Law Enforcement Agencies’ Perceptions of Temporary Firearms Storage to Prevent Suicide

May 03, 2019
Law enforcement agencies in U.S. Mountain West states perceive few barriers to temporary, voluntary firearms storage to prevent suicide and...
Weekly Spark

Significant Other Involvement in Veteran Safety Planning

April 26, 2019
Collaborative safety planning is part of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ standard suicide care. While safety planning can help...
Weekly Spark

Study of a Suicide Prevention Intervention Delivered by Peer Support Specialists

April 19, 2019
A recent pilot study found that using peer support specialists to engage patients at high risk for suicide may be...
Weekly Spark

Youth-Nominated Support Team Intervention and Long-Term Mortality

March 29, 2019
A psychosocial intervention delivered by trusted adults may reduce long-term mortality among youth at risk for suicide. Between 2002 and...
Weekly Spark

Suicide Risk after Cancer Diagnosis in England

March 22, 2019
Receiving a cancer diagnosis may be associated with a 20 percent increased risk of suicide death. Suicide risk is highest...
Weekly Spark

Brief Caring Text Messages for Suicide Prevention among Military Personnel

March 08, 2019
A recent study found that a text message-based suicide prevention intervention may be a simple, low-cost way to reduce suicidal...
Weekly Spark

Prescription Opioid or Benzodiazepine Abuse and Suicidal Ideation in Older Adults

February 22, 2019
Past-year abuse of prescription benzodiazepine or opioid medication is associated with suicidal ideation among older U.S. adults, according to a...
Weekly Spark

Lethal Means Assessment among Emergency Department Patients

February 01, 2019
In an emergency department that screens all patients for suicide risk, providers rarely document that they have performed an access...
Weekly Spark

State Policies on Suicide Prevention Training for Health Care Professionals

January 25, 2019
The 2012 National Strategy for Suicide Prevention recommended that all U.S. states update their suicide prevention plans to include policies on suicide...
Weekly Spark

A Look Back at Research Summaries in 2018

January 04, 2019
Lethal Means Counseling in Hospital Emergency Departments—American Journal of Preventive Medicine Suicidal Ideation and Suicide Attempts among Court-Involved, Non-Incarcerated Youth—Journal...