Teachers' experiences and perceptions in working with students who have attempted suicide

Abstract

A suicide attempt is a key risk factor for completed suicide. Teachers are often on the front line with students who have attempted suicide. No one has, however, asked about the impact of having a student in the classroom who has attempted suicide. This study utilized semi-structured interviews with six intermediate/secondary teachers in Newfoundland and Labrador concerning their experiences (the event) and perspectives (thoughts and feelings related to the event) of working with a student who has returned to the classroom after an attempted suicide. Interview data was transcribed verbatim by the first researcher and returned to participants for review. Coding was utilized to determine common themes among the data (Farber 2006). Findings indicate teachers experienced shock, uncertainty, anxiety, and fear in how to deal with such situations and in terms of the potential implications of such situations. As well, participants reported issues around access to student information and knowledge regarding appropriate actions. They recommended proactive and inclusive policy/program development as well as training in the area of preventing student suicide attempts. Study results are discussed in the context of the needs of students who have attempted suicide, the needs of teacher, and the role of the wider school system.