Evaluating Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) Suicide Prevention Training in a College Setting

This study assesses short-term and long-term learning outcomes of Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) suicide prevention training in a college setting. Two hundred seventy-three participants completed pretest, posttest, and follow-up surveys regarding suicide prevention knowledge, attitudes, and skills. Results indicated: (a) increases in suicide prevention knowledge, attitudes, and skills both from the pretest to the posttest and from the pretest to the follow-up test on 8 items (warning signs, how to ask about suicide, influencing help-seeking, how to get help, knowledge of local resources, talking about resources, accompanying person to get help, and calling a crisis line); and (b) short-term increases on 2 items (suicide prevention facts and appropriateness of asking about suicide). Implications for campus-wide suicide prevention efforts are discussed.