Which of the following best describes the difference between suicide prevention and postvention in the context of youth suicide awareness?

• A. Prevention is only concerned with supporting families after a suicide, while postvention is about educating youth about warning signs.
• B. Postvention focuses on identifying at-risk youth before a suicide attempt, while prevention provides counseling after a suicide has occurred.
• C. Prevention and postvention are both terms for the same set of activities aimed at reducing stress in youth.
• D. Prevention focuses on reducing risk factors and promoting protective factors before a suicide attempt occurs, while postvention involves support and interventions after a suicide has taken place to help those affected.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the key terms: 'Prevention' refers to actions taken to reduce the risk of suicide before it happens, while 'Postvention' refers to support and interventions provided after a suicide has occurred.
2. Identify the goals of prevention: It aims to reduce risk factors (such as mental health issues, substance abuse, or social isolation) and promote protective factors (like strong social support and coping skills) to stop suicide attempts before they occur.
3. Recognize the purpose of postvention: It involves providing support to individuals and communities affected by a suicide, helping them cope with grief, and preventing further suicides by addressing the aftermath.
4. Compare the options given in the problem to these definitions, noting which description correctly matches prevention with pre-suicide efforts and postvention with post-suicide support.
5. Conclude that the correct answer is the one stating that prevention focuses on reducing risk factors and promoting protective factors before a suicide attempt, while postvention involves support and interventions after a suicide has taken place.