AAS Community Outreach & Education 3

Question 1

A newspaper reporter contacts you for comment after a local celebrity suicide. Using safe messaging guidelines, you should recommend the story:

Accepted Answer

Feature stories about survivors of suicide loss and available resources

Answer

Safe messaging guidelines for media recommend featuring survivor voices and crisis resources rather than sensationalizing the death or detailing methods.

Question 2

The concept of 'postvention' in community outreach primarily refers to:

Accepted Answer

Interventions provided after a suicide death to support survivors and prevent additional deaths

Answer

Postvention encompasses support for suicide loss survivors and community responses after a suicide to reduce contagion and promote healing.

Question 3

Which of the following best describes 'social contagion' (Werther effect) in the context of suicide?

Accepted Answer

Increased suicide risk in a community following exposure to another's suicide, especially through media

Answer

The Werther effect refers to the documented increase in suicide rates following high-profile or heavily publicized suicides, particularly when media coverage is sensationalized.

Question 4

A community health worker is creating materials to reduce suicide stigma. Which message is MOST consistent with evidence-based anti-stigma approaches?

Accepted Answer

Suicidal crises are treatable, and reaching out for help is a sign of strength

Answer

Anti-stigma messages that normalize help-seeking and frame crisis as treatable are most effective at reducing barriers to care.

Question 5

When evaluating the effectiveness of a community suicide prevention program, which outcome measure is considered the gold standard?

Accepted Answer

Change in suicide and attempt rates in the target population over time

Answer

While process measures like trainings delivered and satisfaction scores are useful, the ultimate measure of effectiveness is change in actual suicide and attempt rates.

(AAS) American Association of Suicidology Certification Practice Test

(AAS) American Association of Suicidology Certification Practice Test

AAS Community Outreach & Education 3