WED-087 - Evaluating QPR Suicide Prevention Training on a University Campus

Brief Abstract Summary: Learn how Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) suicide prevention training significantly improves knowledge, attitudes, and confidence among university students, faculty, staff, and administrators. This session shares results from an upstate New York campus initiative where participants (n = 82 pre; n = 82 post) completed a 90-minute QPR training with pre/post surveys. Analyses revealed statistically significant gains in recognizing suicide warning signs, asking directly about suicide, persuading individuals to seek help, and connecting them to resources. Participants reported large effect sizes and greater consistency in responses, reflecting stronger confidence and preparedness to intervene. Findings underscore how local campus-based QPR efforts can strengthen mental health literacy and expand community capacity for suicide prevention. Attendees will gain evidence of QPR’s effectiveness and insights into implementing scalable, community-driven prevention models.

Detailed abstract description: Learn how suicide prevention training can empower everyday people on campus to step in and save lives. Suicide is one of our most pressing public health concerns, and college campuses are uniquely positioned to reach young adults and other populations at higher risk, including LGBTQ+ youth, Native American/Alaskan Native communities, and men in midlife. In this session, presenters share how we implemented a 90-minute Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) program at an upstate New York university, training students, faculty, staff, and administrators to serve as “gatekeepers” who can recognize warning signs, ask about suicide directly, persuade someone to seek help, and connect them to resources.

See what worked and why: Using pre- and post-training surveys, we tracked changes in knowledge, attitudes, and confidence. The results were clear: participants left the training with higher knowledge scores, more consistent answers, stronger intentions to intervene, and much greater confidence in their ability to help. The improvements were not just statistically significant; they were practically meaningful. Large effect sizes showed that QPR really does make a difference when it comes to preparing people to step in during a crisis.

Take away strategies you can use on your own campus or in your community. We will highlight how we engaged stakeholders across different parts of the university, from student organizations to administration, and how we built buy-in to make suicide prevention a shared responsibility. You’ll leave with ideas for how to implement QPR (or a similar model) in your own setting, including tips for sustaining participation and weaving prevention efforts into campus culture.

Recognize the bigger picture, what we do locally matters globally. By training people in our own communities to be gatekeepers, we are building mental health literacy, creating more supportive environments, and expanding access to potentially life-saving interventions. Walk away with confidence and actionable tools. This presentation will give you evidence that QPR works, a clear example of how to evaluate it, and practical steps to take back to your own campus or community. Whether you are a health educator, administrator, faculty member, or student leader, you’ll leave with ideas you can put into practice right away to strengthen suicide prevention and support those most at risk.