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How Has the Current Rise in Death by Suicide Among Adolescents Led to the Development of Evidence-Based Practices and Programming within a U.S. Middle School Curriculum to Address Mental Health Issues?

Jennings, Mindy Layne
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3767-2551
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1593644221318441

Abstract Details

2020, Doctor of Education, Miami University, Educational Leadership.
This qualitative case study explored and described one school district's response to the rise in death by suicide among adolescents. The purpose of this study is to critically examine the design, implementation, and evaluation of a mental health program by a U.S. school district to address rising suicide rates among adolescents. Therefore, the guiding question for this single case study was: How has the current rise in death by suicide among adolescents led to the development of evidence-based practices and programming within a U.S. middle school curriculum to address mental health issues? To address this question, data was collected through triangulated research, by gathering information from various collections of data and through multiple sources. This was achieved by semi-structured interviews with multiple district and building staff with various job titles and responsibilities. At the district level, interviews were conducted with administrators. Within the middle school, administrators and mental health professionals were interviewed. A thorough literature review of relevant information and the theoretical framework lens was used within this study. Interactive Systems Framework (ISF) is a theoretical framework developed to bridge the gap between evidence-based research to practice. This study specifically focused on one school district's response to the rise in death by suicide among adolescents at the middle school grades. Results for the research, collected through interviews and at the district level with the administrators, and interviews at the middle school building level with administrators and mental health professionals servicing the middle school, are provided in Chapter 4. The conclusion of the paper provides the findings and implications of the study and possible future research, policy and practices recommendations. The significance of this research was twofold. First, by providing an historical review of how one district responded to the rise in death by suicide among adolescents in accordance to the ISF framework we understand the collective experiences of key stakeholders involved in the process of designing, implementing, and evaluating a successful mental health program. Secondly, this research offers a critical appraisal of the ISF framework as a useful method for future school districts to use for introducing mental health programming and identify key barriers and limitation that could prevent successful implementation.
Lucian Szlizewski, Dr. (Committee Co-Chair)
Kathleen Knight Abowitz, Dr. (Committee Co-Chair)
Adam Beissel, Dr. (Committee Member)
82 p.
Educational Leadership
Suicide; adolescents; mental health; mental health program; middle school; suburban school district

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Jennings, M. L. (2020). How Has the Current Rise in Death by Suicide Among Adolescents Led to the Development of Evidence-Based Practices and Programming within a U.S. Middle School Curriculum to Address Mental Health Issues? [Doctoral dissertation, Miami University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1593644221318441

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Jennings, Mindy. How Has the Current Rise in Death by Suicide Among Adolescents Led to the Development of Evidence-Based Practices and Programming within a U.S. Middle School Curriculum to Address Mental Health Issues? 2020. Miami University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1593644221318441.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Jennings, Mindy. "How Has the Current Rise in Death by Suicide Among Adolescents Led to the Development of Evidence-Based Practices and Programming within a U.S. Middle School Curriculum to Address Mental Health Issues?" Doctoral dissertation, Miami University, 2020. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1593644221318441

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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This open access ETD is published by Miami University and OhioLINK.