Improving the accessibility and reach of mental health resources for suicide and non-suicidal self-injury

In response to increasing prevalence rates of suicide and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) in the United States, researchers have developed online mental health resources (e.g., fact sheets) to address barriers preventing those in need from receiving mental health information and care. To identify potential strategies to increase the accessibility, actionability, and reach of those resources, this study (1) determined the audiences that online suicide and NSSI resources are written for, (2) evaluated the extent to which those resources include evidence-based prevention strategies, (3) characterized how resources communicate information about suicide and NSSI, and (4) determined whether resource characteristics predicted participants’ ratings of resources. Undergraduate students (N = 366; 68% White) rated subsets of 59 suicide and NSSI resources for personal relevance, understandability, usability, approval, and likelihood of recommending that online resource. The resources were coded for specified audience demographics, evidence-based prevention strategies, and communication techniques. Results showed that most resources were written for a specified audience (61%), included evidence-based prevention strategies (100%), and had a high school or undergraduate reading level (92%). Results from linear regression analyses indicated that specified audience demographics (e.g., youth, adults), prevention strategies (i.e., support networking), and communication techniques (i.e., tone) featured in resources predicted recommendation and approval ratings. Findings demonstrate that while there are many online resources available to the public, they may not be accessible, culturally responsive, or usable. This research can inform the development of more relevant mental health resources for individuals with suicidal ideation and NSSI.