Suicide prevention for international students

International students frequently report suicidal thoughts and behaviours, but often do not seek help. We evaluated the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of an adapted version of safeTALK suicide prevention training for international students. Eight workshops were delivered in Melbourne, Australia (N = 128; 62.5% female, M age = 23.4). In this single-arm study, surveys were completed pre-, post-, and three months post-training, and 17 participants completed follow-up interviews. The training was rated as acceptable, helpful, and safe. Linear mixed models indicated increased confidence to intervene and stronger intentions to refer individuals to formal help sources, with improvements sustained at follow-up. Suicide stigma showed a small post-training reduction that was not sustained. Suicide literacy only improved three months post-training. Attrition limited inferences about long-term effects. Qualitative feedback supported the training’s value but highlighted the need for further cultural adaptation. Findings support adapted gatekeeper training as a promising strategy for suicide prevention among international students

Attrition · Injury prevention · Occupational safety and health · Poison control · Qualitative research · Suicide prevention · Human Factors and Ergonomics · Resilience and Mental Health