ABSTRACT
Elements of suicide prevention programmes for adolescents, described in previous studies, are reviewed. School-based programmes described by western researchers have had limited success. We propose that mobilising peers as allies in suicide prevention programmes for adolescents could be a significant way forward. To this end the Health Intervention Training Mutual Aid Network (HIT-MAN) has been developed in Hong Kong. The object of this programme is to encourage adolescents both to support, and in some cases refer, friends who have been thinking about suicide, or who manifest behaviours reflecting very low self-esteem and depression. Teachers can organise HIT-MAN groups, which can be part of extra-curricular activities. Methods of programme organisation, curriculum implications, and possibilities for evaluation are described.
