Beschreibung:
<jats:p><jats:bold>Background: </jats:bold> Psycho‐educational programs are among the most commonly applied suicide prevention approaches for young people. This study examined the effectiveness of these programs in a controlled study by assessing the effect on knowledge, attitudes, coping and hopelessness.</jats:p><jats:p><jats:bold>Method: </jats:bold> Fourteen‐ to 18‐year‐old students were administered structured questionnaires before and after the program to assess the effect on knowledge, attitudes, coping and hopelessness.</jats:p><jats:p><jats:bold>Results: </jats:bold> The program had no effect on coping styles and levels of hopelessness. However, a positive effect on knowledge could be identified and an interaction effect of the program with gender on attitudes was also found. A negative impact of the program could not be found. Results indicated effects of gender and pre‐test on knowledge, attitudes and coping.</jats:p><jats:p><jats:bold>Conclusions: </jats:bold> The findings from this study suggest that psycho‐educational programs in schools may influence knowledge about suicide and attitudes towards suicidal persons but may not affect the use of coping styles or levels of hopelessness.</jats:p>