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The Effects of Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training on Behavioral Intention and Intervention Behavior: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Journal article   Peer reviewed

The Effects of Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training on Behavioral Intention and Intervention Behavior: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Sarah G Spafford, Marielena R McWhirter Boisen, Emily E Tanner-Smith, Geovanna Rodriguez, James R Muruthi and John R Seeley
Prevention science
18 Jul 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-024-01710-w
Featured in Collection :   UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel

Abstract

To understand the current state of research, a systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to synthesize the effects of suicide prevention gatekeeper training (GKT) on participant behavioral intention to intervene and participant suicide intervention behaviors. Included studies examined GKT with adult participants and measured either behavioral intention to conduct a suicide intervention or the utilization of suicide intervention skills. Searches yielded a total of 43 studies from 46 reports, comprising 21,720 participants. To quantify change over time, the standardized mean gain effect size metric was utilized. Large effect sizes were found for behavioral intention from pre-training to post-training (1.03, 95% CI [0.80, 1.25]) and short-term follow-up (0.78, 95% CI [0.59, 0.97]). Smaller effect sizes were found for intervention behavior from pre-training to short-term (0.33, 95% CI [0.21, 0.46]) and long-term follow-up (0.22, 95% CI [0.14, 0.30]). Although this meta-analysis reveals a positive effect for GKT on behavioral outcomes, the low methodological quality of the currently available evidence limits the ability to draw conclusions from the synthesis. This work informs policymakers and interventionists on best practices for GKT and highlights that additional, rigorous research is needed.To understand the current state of research, a systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to synthesize the effects of suicide prevention gatekeeper training (GKT) on participant behavioral intention to intervene and participant suicide intervention behaviors. Included studies examined GKT with adult participants and measured either behavioral intention to conduct a suicide intervention or the utilization of suicide intervention skills. Searches yielded a total of 43 studies from 46 reports, comprising 21,720 participants. To quantify change over time, the standardized mean gain effect size metric was utilized. Large effect sizes were found for behavioral intention from pre-training to post-training (1.03, 95% CI [0.80, 1.25]) and short-term follow-up (0.78, 95% CI [0.59, 0.97]). Smaller effect sizes were found for intervention behavior from pre-training to short-term (0.33, 95% CI [0.21, 0.46]) and long-term follow-up (0.22, 95% CI [0.14, 0.30]). Although this meta-analysis reveals a positive effect for GKT on behavioral outcomes, the low methodological quality of the currently available evidence limits the ability to draw conclusions from the synthesis. This work informs policymakers and interventionists on best practices for GKT and highlights that additional, rigorous research is needed.

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15 Record Views
9 citations in Web of Science
4 citations in Scopus

Details

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This publication has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

#3 Good Health and Well-Being

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
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