# Source: Hope Squad — Research Page

**Type:** source
**Status:** Useful
**Confidence:** Medium
**Source Type:** official-page
**URL:** https://hopesquad.com/research
**Archive:** https://web.archive.org/web/20260811224124/https://hopesquad.com/research
**Archived:** 2026-08-11
**Publisher:** Hope Squad / Hope 4 Utah
**Retrieved:** 2026-08-12
**Raw:** raw/hope-squad-research-page/2026-08-11-d4cf7eaa89ce.txt
**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.

## Related Pages

- [Hope Squad](hope-squad.md)