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Beyond the Wall: Death Education at Middle School as Suicide Prevention

Author

Listed:
  • Ines Testoni

    (Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology (FISPPA), University of Padova, Via Venezia 14, 35131 Padua, Italy)

  • Elisa Tronca

    (Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology (FISPPA), University of Padova, Via Venezia 14, 35131 Padua, Italy)

  • Gianmarco Biancalani

    (Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology (FISPPA), University of Padova, Via Venezia 14, 35131 Padua, Italy)

  • Lucia Ronconi

    (Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology (FISPPA), University of Padova, Via Venezia 14, 35131 Padua, Italy)

  • Giovanna Calapai

    (Alma.Thi Association, 36016 Thiene, Italy)

Abstract

This study investigates the psychological effects of participation in Death Education (DeEd) by middle school children in two towns in northeast Italy in which suicides occur to a greater extent than in the rest of the region. The aims of the project “Beyond the Wall” were inherent to the prevention of suicide, address existential issues and enhance the meaning of life through positive intentions for the future and reflection on mortality. It involved eight classes (150 students in four classes in the experimental group; 81 in four classes in the control group) engaging with films, workgroup activities, photovoice and psychodrama. The constructs of resilience, emotional competency and psychological well-being were monitored with the Resilience Scale for Adolescents, the Hopelessness Scale for Children, the Alexithymia Questionnaire for Children and the Stirling Children’s Well-being Scale. The DeEd intervention was found to be significantly related to some of the variables investigated, improving the students’ ability to recognise emotions and communicate them verbally while maintaining stable initial characteristics, such as psychological well-being and positive expectations for the future.

Suggested Citation

  • Ines Testoni & Elisa Tronca & Gianmarco Biancalani & Lucia Ronconi & Giovanna Calapai, 2020. "Beyond the Wall: Death Education at Middle School as Suicide Prevention," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-12, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:7:p:2398-:d:339896
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Ines Testoni & Vito Fabio Sblano & Lorenza Palazzo & Sara Pompele & Michael Alexander Wieser, 2020. "The Hospice as a Learning Environment: A Follow-Up Study with a Palliative Care Team," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(20), pages 1-13, October.
    2. Ken Inoue & Nursultan Seksenbayev & Nailya Chaizhunusova & Timur Moldagaliyev & Nargul Ospanova & Sholpan Tokesheva & Yersin T. Zhunussov & Nobuo Takeichi & Yoshihiro Noso & Masaharu Hoshi & Noriyuki , 2021. "An Exploration of the Labor, Financial, and Economic Factors Related to Suicide in the Republic of Kazakhstan," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-9, June.
    3. Hao Cheng, 2024. "Seeing life through life: Unpacking life education in intergenerational learning in China," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-12, December.
    4. Ines Testoni & Silvia Piol & Diego De Leo, 2021. "Suicide Prevention: University Students’ Narratives on Their Reasons for Living and for Dying," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-15, July.
    5. Nazaret Martínez-Heredia & Andrés Soriano Díaz & Ana Amaro Agudo & Gracia González-Gijón, 2021. "Health Education as a Means of Addressing Death in the Elderly," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-12, June.

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