SOS Signs of Suicide Program

An Effective Practice

Description

The SOS Signs of Suicide® Program (SOS) is a school-based suicide prevention program that serves secondary school students ages 13 to 18. The program teaches students that suicide is directly related to mental illness—typically depression—and that it is not a normal reaction to stress or emotional upset. This approach stands in direct contrast to other programs that seek to destigmatize suicide by separating it from mental illness. SOS concentrates on teaching youths to recognize the signs of suicide and depression in themselves and others and the specific actions needed to respond to those signs. SOS is also currently being used in other nonschool settings that serve youth.

Goal / Mission

The program's primary objectives are to educate teens that depression is a treatable illness and to equip them to respond to a potential suicide in a friend or family member using the SOS technique.

Results / Accomplishments

There have been two published studies evaluating the SOS program. In one of the studies significantly lower rates of suicide attempts and greater knowledge and more adaptive attitudes about depression and suicide were observed among students in the intervention group. The modest changes in knowledge and attitudes partially explained the beneficial effects of the program on suicide attempts. The research found that SOS was the first school-based suicide prevention program to demonstrate significant reductions in self-reported suicide attempts in a study using a randomized experimental design.

About this Promising Practice

Organization(s)
Screening for Mental Health, Inc.
Primary Contact
Screening for Mental Health, Inc.
270 Bridge Street Suite 301
Dedham MA, 02026
(781) 239-0071
mhinfo@riversidecc.org
https://www.mentalhealthscreening.org/
Topics
Health / Mental Health & Mental Disorders
Health / Adolescent Health
Organization(s)
Screening for Mental Health, Inc.
Source
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention's Model Programs Guide (MPG)
Date of publication
2004
For more details
Target Audience
Teens