Published Paper Details:

Background: Suicide among adolescents is a rising global concern, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Adolescents often face stressors that predispose them to suicidal ideation and behaviour. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a structured teaching program in improving knowledge about risk factors and prevention of suicidal behaviour among adolescents. Methods: A pre-experimental one-group pre-test post-test design was used. A total of 100 adolescents aged 10-16 years from selected schools in Bangalore Urban were selected through non-probability convenience sampling. A structured self-administered questionnaire was used to assess knowledge before and after the intervention. Results: In the pre-test, 67% had inadequate knowledge, 33% had moderate knowledge, and none had adequate knowledge. In the post-test, 76% had adequate knowledge, 24% had moderate knowledge, and none remained in the inadequate category. A significant increase in mean knowledge score was observed (pre-test: 8.35, post-test: 16.31), with a mean difference of 7.96 (t=31.09, p<0.05). Conclusion: The structured teaching program was effective in enhancing adolescents' knowledge regarding suicidal risk factors and preventive measures. Keywords: adolescent mental health, suicide prevention, structured teaching program, risk factors, nursing education.