Responding to a suicidal friend or family member: A qualitative study of college students.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand how college students have responded, at any point in their lifetime, to a suicidal friend or family member. College students completed an online survey in which they described, in their own words, what they have done when a friend or family member disclosed being suicidal. These responses included providing social support, information, telling someone, and crisis support. Future studies are needed to determine how common these responses are, identify factors that predict certain responses, and examine the impact responding to a suicidal person can have on college student wellbeing.