Source: Hope Squad — Research Page

Summary

Hope Squad's curated research index — theoretical basis, self-reported referral data, and peer-reviewed publications involving Utah co-authors.

Useful Claims

• Hope Squad cites Kalafat & Elias (1992) finding only 25% of students confided in a trusted adult about a peer's suicide risk — the rationale for peer gatekeeper models.
• Organization reports that in review of 2023–2024 Mental Health Referral Form data, over 95% of referrals come from non-Hope Squad members (self-reported internal metric).
• Lists peer-reviewed publications including Wright-Berryman, Hudnall, Bledsoe, & Lloyd (2019) in Children & Schools on suicide concern reporting among Utah youths in the program, and Wood, Ohri, Hudnall, & Cahoon (2023) in Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment on gatekeeper training outcomes.
• One listed item is under review: Wright-Berryman et al. on effectiveness of Hope Squad's school-based suicide prevention program.

Verbatim

In 1992, researchers John Kalafat and Maurice Elias investigated how high school students respond after learning about a peer's suicidality. They found that only 25% of students indicated confiding in a trusted adult about their peer's suicide risk, revealing the opportunity of peer-to-peer suicide prevention. — Theory

In review of the 2023-2024 Mental Health Referral Form, over 95% of referrals come from non-Hope Squad members, indicating that our peer-to-peer gatekeeper training model effectively increases intentional help-seeking behaviors throughout the school environment. — Findings

Wright-Berryman, J., Hudnall, G., Bledsoe, C., & Lloyd, M. (2019). Suicide concern reporting among Utah youths served by a school-based peer-to-peer prevention program. Children & Schools, 41 (1), 35-42. — Peer-Reviewed Publications

Wood, D. S., Ohri, F., Hudnall, G., & Cahoon, L. (2023). Suicide gatekeeper training outcomes in educational and religious settings. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 33 (2), 225-231. — Peer-Reviewed Publications

Reliability Notes

The page is an organization-maintained bibliography, not independent evaluation. Listed peer-reviewed papers exist and involve Hope Squad-affiliated co-authors; a full effectiveness randomized trial is listed as under review, not published. This page does not establish that adoption scale ("thousands of schools") matches the rigor of the evidence base.

Related Pages

• Hope Squad