The effectiveness of a school-based prevention programme to reduce adolescent suicide risk factors in Hong Kong

Adolescent suicide is a great concern in Hong Kong society. Studies indicated that depression was the dominant risk factor of suicidal behaviour in secondary school students. In addition, parent-adolescent conflict has been identified as one of the relatively common precipitant of adolescents who completed suicide. Furthermore, social ecological perspective drew our attention to family support and peer support as possible risk factors among adolescent suicide. The objectives of the present study is to develop a school-based adolescent suicide prevention programme for Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong through evaluating the effectiveness of three school-based adolescent suicide prevention programmes. This includes: 1) programme for adolescent plus four weeks on-line homework exercise. 2) programme for adolescent plus four weeks parent programme, and 3) adolescent programme plus four weeks programme for peer and teacher. Quantitative and qualitative data will be collected to compare any differences in impact of the three programmes and develop a programme manual that includes content and an evaluation protocol for school social workers.