Objective:

To develop, implement and evaluate a suicide prevention program aimed at adolescents.

Material and Methods:

A quasi-experimental study, before and after, with adolescents from an educational institution in São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil. The study followed the stages of development, implementation and evaluation of a suicide prevention intervention program. Three assessment instruments were administered before and after the intervention: Beck's Suicidal Ideation Scale; Beck's Depression Inventory and Beck's Hopelessness Scale.

Results:

Before the intervention, 102 adolescents participated, 30 (29.4%) had suicidal ideation and depressive symptoms. After the intervention the instruments were applied to the 30 selected adolescents, 12 (40.0%) continued with ideation. Prior to intervention, the average Depression Inventory was 23.83 and then 7.17 (p <0.0001). As for hopelessness, the average obtained before was 7.23 and then 2.17 (p <0.0001); Regarding suicidal ideation, the average obtained before was 10.50 and then 2.57 (p <0.0001).

Conclusion:

There was a decrease in depressive symptoms, hopelessness and suicidal ideation after the implementation of the elaborated intervention program.

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