Source: Hope Squad — Research Page
source confidence: Medium status: Useful updated 2026-08-11
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.