Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

2025

Document Type

Dissertation - NSU Access Only

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice

Advisor

Hardwick Smith Johnson, Jr.

Committee Member

Katrina Pann

Committee Member

Kimberly Durham

Keywords

self-harm behaviors, school-based mental health, suicide prevention, adolescent mental health, phenomenological study, educational interventions

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of mental health school-based team members regarding the effectiveness of current prevention and intervention practices for addressing suicidal and non-suicidal self-harming behaviors among school-age children in a large suburban school district in the southern United States. Despite the alarming increase in self-injurious behaviors, with crisis calls rising from 144 incidents in the 2022 school year to 736 incidents in the 2025 school year, the district lacked comprehensive prevention and intervention strategies to effectively address this critical issue.

The researcher used a qualitative phenomenological approach to capture the lived experiences and perceptions of school-based mental health professionals. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 participants, including school counselors, school psychologists, behavioral health professionals, mental health professionals, school police officers, principals, and assistant principals across elementary, middle, and high school settings. Data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using the Interpretive Thematic Data Analysis Procedure (ITAP) and NVivo software.

The results revealed that mental health school-based team members demonstrated clear conceptual distinctions between suicidal and non-suicidal behaviors while maintaining universal urgency in their responses. Participants emphasized that nurturing school environments promoted student disclosure, while disciplinary fear served as a significant barrier to help-seeking. Risk identification relied on behavioral warning signs, structured assessment tools, staff collaboration, and relationship building with students. Key challenges included limited mental health staffing and resources, inconsistent training across school roles, cultural stigma surrounding self-harm, and the critical influence of school culture on student safety and support. The findings underscored the need for trauma-informed policy reforms, universal staff training, and standardized collaborative protocols.

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