Teachers and Staff Gatekeeper Training Status to Prevent Suicide among Children and Students in Japan:

Literature Comparison in Methods, Contents, and Evaluation

Abstract

[Background]

  Gatekeeper (GK) training for teachers is a suicide prevention for students in Japan, despite few studies having reported the method, content, and effect evaluation. In this study, GK training of the method, content, and effect evaluation for school staff in Japanese literature were compared with those from other countries.

[Methods]

  Twelve studies were extracted from the Japanese Igaku Chuo Zasshi and CiNii using the keywords “suicide & gatekeeper,” “suicide & school, and crisis intervention,” and “suicide & training and teacher.” Considering, literature from other countries, 11 were extracted from Medline using the keywords “suicide & gatekeeper & (school or teacher).”

[Results]

  In Japan, psychiatrists and university teachers often implement their own programs with almost no control groups or medium- to long-term evaluations, and most are free descriptions. Overseas, trained trainers conduct for example, Question, Persuade and Refer (QPR) on all faculty members and staff, maintaining knowledge and self-efficacy, challenging its impact on attitudes and behavior.

[Discussion/Conclusion]

  The GK training program for Japanese teachers and staff must clarify the role of the department according to the job type and experience, followed by a fact-finding survey, and building a training program that includes practical training. In addition, the medium- to long-term effects on knowledge, skills, self-efficacy, attitudes, and suicide prevention behavior should be assessed using appropriate methods.