Preventive interventions for youth suicide: a risk factor-based approach

Objective: This review draws on current knowledge of risk for youth suicide to categorise strategies for intervention. Its goal is to identify areas o f 'research need' and to provide an evidence base to identify 'best buy' pr eventive interventions for youth suicide. Method: The design, development, implementation and evaluation of preventio n strategies ranging from clinical interventions to population-based univer sal approaches are considered within five risk factor domains: individual, family, community, school and peer. Results: There is a paucity of evidence on the effects of interventions tar geting depression and suicidal behaviour. Nevertheless, there are effective indicated, selective and universal interventions for important risk factor s for depression and suicidal behaviour. Little evidence has emerged to sup port the efficacy of some traditional approaches to suicide prevention, suc h as school based suicide education programs and telephone hotlines. Conclusions: Youth suicide prevention strategies in Australia have generall y employed traditional approaches that focus on clinical interventions for self-harmers, restricting access to lethal means, providing services to hig h risk groups and enhancing general practitioner responses. Both program de velopment and research evaluation of interventions for many important risk and protective factors for suicide have been neglected.