Suicide Intervention Training for Counselor Trainees: A Quasi‐Experimental Study on Skill Retention

Abstract

The authors used a quasi-experimental design to explore the effect of Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training on 126 counselor trainees. Results showed that after 3 months, trainees had retained improvements in measured response skills and self-reported attitudes. The authors discuss the developmental benefits of incorporating similar training into counselor education. Implications for skill measurement are also considered.

Counselor Education and Supervision: 2018 Annual Review

“…This literature was heavily concentrated ( n = 16) on evaluation of teaching or training methods; attending to specific curricula; and exploring courses such as multicultural counseling, group counseling, supervision, and teaching. Scholars evaluated the use of a career counseling assignment to improve competency among school counselors (Brown, 2018); a service learning project on human development that enhanced learning and students’ perceptions of themselves, others, and social justice (K. A. Lee & Kelley‐Petersen, 2018); peer group consultation that increased client‐centered reflections (Rantanen & Soini, 2018); and retention of skills from the Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (Shannonhouse, Elston, et al, 2018).…”

“…As in 2017, teaching and training literature was directed at evaluating interventions and discussion of more conceptually guided curricular implications. The evaluation literature appeared to be of stronger emphasis; still, the literature is largely qualitative and has featured self‐report of experiences with few studies (e.g., Rantanen & Soini, 2018; Shannonhouse, Elston, et al, 2018) regarding the impact of training on skill development or retention. We encourage scholars to work toward a more sophisticated exploration of teaching practices and outcomes.…”

Analysis of a Standardized Suicide Intervention Training for Counselor Trainees

“…ASIST has been found to increase suicide intervention skills Shannonhouse, Lin, Shaw, Wanna, & Porter, 2017;Gould, Cross, Pisani, Munfalsh, & Kleinman, 2013); increase knowledge about suicide; and increase comfort, competence, and confidence to intervene with a person considering suicide (for review, see Rodgers, 2010). These gains have been maintained over time (Shannonhouse et al, 2018). Those quantitative studies offer "explanations" for the "hypothesis-deductive" methodology (Hjelmeland & Knizek, 2010, p. 74).…”

“…Those quantitative studies offer "explanations" for the "hypothesis-deductive" methodology (Hjelmeland & Knizek, 2010, p. 74). There is a need to better understand the pedagogical practices inherent within the ASIST curriculum that contribute to changes in helper response ability and to explore how CITs integrate them into their clinical development (Shannonhouse et al, 2018). Integrating this evidence-based model into counselor training programs has the potential to reduce the fear, anxiety, and avoidance CITs may experience when facing a suicidal client.…”

“…Key components inherent within the model (i.e., ability to work effectively with ambivalence about dying, exhaust reasons for dying, identify a turning point, reach mutually agreed-upon safe plans) employed by ASIST-trained phone counselors were associated with better caller outcomes. While quantitative studies have examined the effect of ASIST in counselor preparation (Shannonhouse et al, 2018) and in K-12 schools with school counselors (Shan-et al, 2013). Despite these findings, there is a dearth of qualitative data on suicide intervention skills training (Kral, Links, & Bergmans, 2012).…”