ERIC Number: ED650965
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2020
Pages: 156
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 979-8-5570-2949-0
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
College Student Suicidal Behavior: Exploring Faculty Willingness to Intervene
Rikki Dale Turner
ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, University of Arkansas at Little Rock
A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate what factors contribute to faculty members' willingness to intervene with suicidal students. An online survey was administered to faculty (N = 281) in order to collect data for quantitative analysis. Independent variables included gender, faculty discipline as defined by BIGLAN categories, attitudes about intervention (effect on student and effect on participant), subjective norms, and perceived behavior control (express care and utilize outside resources). Dependent variables included intent to intervene expressing care, utilizing outside resource, and utilizing emergency services. A confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to confirm that this population fit the model developed by Aldrich (2017) and Aldrich, Harrington, and Cerel (2014). None of the five Goodness of Fit Indices were supportive of a good fit for the model. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted on the 61 items with oblique rotation. Seven factors were retained which explained 54.47% of the variance. A key finding in the EFA was the convergence of 'perceived behavior control' (ability to intervene by expressing care) and 'intent to intervene' (expressing care for the student) onto one factor, updated to 'self-efficacy,' which replaced 'intent to intervene expressing care.' A hierarchical multiple regression was conducted with bootstrapping for the three dependent variables. Gender was not a statistically significant predictor of any of the dependent variables. Soft-Applied-Life disciplines were more likely to intervene using emergency services than Soft-Pure-Life and were more likely to express care than Hard-Pure-Non-Life, Hard-Applied-Non-Life, and Soft-Pure-Non-Life. Almost universally, 'attitudes of effect on participant' did not impact willingness to intervene. Subjective norms about the intervention impacted faculty members, but not for utilizing emergency services. Perceived behavior control was a significant predictor for all interventions. Faculty members were more likely to express care for suicidal students or utilize outside resources than they were to utilize emergency services. As suicide rates among college students continue to increase and an overwhelming focus of suicide intervention training is focused on student affairs professionals, the findings from this research highlight the importance of training faculty members to recognize warning signs and to intervene in some way to reduce these rates. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
Descriptors: College Faculty, College Students, Suicide, Intention, Student Behavior, Intervention, Teacher Attitudes, Teacher Student Relationship
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Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A