School-Based Postvention Services: Exploring the Perspectives of Students

Abstract

Adolescent suicide is a public health issue with 15 percent of adolescents experiencing the suicide loss of a classmate, acquaintance, or friend. This article reports findings from an online survey of individuals (N = 40) who lost a peer to suicide in middle or high school. The most frequently provided school-based postvention responses were school counselors, outside grief counselors, education on depression and suicide, and assemblies. Participants identified the following student needs from schools following a student suicide death: genuineness and sincerity of response, easy-to-access supports, recognition that students need help and support, awareness that students have different needs following a death, opportunities for commemoration, and flexibility in terms of academic requirements and expectations. Implications for schools are discussed, including the importance of resources for teachers and other staff supporting students, a trauma-informed response, and the careful consideration of the balance of suicide prevention and grief. Most important, it is essential for schools to recognize the magnitude of the impact of a suicide death on students, and that students need help and support from the school.