Background: The development and implementation of gatekeeper trainings were first goals in the national suicide prevention
strategy “suicide prevention Austria” (SUPRA). The current study aims to assess the short- and longer-term effects of the SUPRA
gatekeeper trainings in comparison with established gatekeeper trainings.
Methods: We evaluated 28 gatekeeper trainings including 427 participants by assessing improvement of knowledge (facts about
suicide and suicide prevention), gatekeeper self-efficacy and attitudes, and gatekeeper behavior (e.g., asking depressed people
about suicide). Assessments were immediately before and after the gatekeeper trainings, with an additional follow-up six months
later. Effects were compared with results from established gatekeeper trainings.
Results: There were substantial improvements in knowledge, self-efficacy and attitudes immediately after the training,
comparable or larger than known from evaluations of established gatekeeper trainings. Most of these changes were upheld in the
follow-up assessment, with effects comparable to other gatekeeper trainings. There was only a small increase of self-reported
gatekeeper behavior, in line with results from other gatekeeper trainings.
Conclusion: The SUPRA gatekeeper training had some beneficial effects in the short- and longterm, with effect sizes comparable to
established gatekeeper trainings