The Suicide Prevention for College Students (SPCS) Gatekeepers Program: Comparing in-person and online training outcomes

Abstract

Objective: Given that suicide is the third leading cause of death in college-aged students, training students in suicide prevention gatekeeper skills is essential. There is a need for evidence-based, virtual suicide prevention programming for college students, as virtual platforms may increase training accessibility and reach. However, there is no research comparing efficacy of in-person to synchronous, virtual gatekeeper trainings. This study examined the Suicide Prevention for College Student Gatekeepers Program across in-person and virtual modalities to compare outcomes. Participants. College students (N = 873) across three US campuses participated. Methods: Students were trained in the 90-min SPCS Gatekeepers Program. Mid-way through the 3-year grant period, trainings moved from in-person to virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: Between training platforms, no significant differences were found in knowledge, suicide prevention self-efficacy, stigmatizing beliefs about suicide, program satisfaction, nor program helpfulness. Conclusion: Results support the efficacy of virtual SPCS Gatekeepers Program presentations.

Keywords: College students; gatekeeper training; suicide prevention; virtual training.