The Ad Council Research Institute (ACRI), in partnership with the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention and the Suicide Prevention Research Center, recently released their study, “Messaging and Communications to Trusted Messengers of People Disproportionately Impacted by Suicide.” 

With the transition to 988 came the need for formative research among groups of people that are disproportionately impacted by suicide to help inform 988-specific communications that are culturally sensitive, responsive, effective, and successful with the intent of increasing awareness of 988 as a resource to populations most affected by suicide and to instill trust and confidence in 988 as a service to those experiencing a mental health crisis or managing symptoms of a mental illness. 

ACRI’s qualitative and quantitative research aims to: 

• Uncover knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions about accessing crisis services among trusted messengers of groups disproportionately impacted by suicide, as well as encouraging use to their loved ones/close connections.
• Identify and explore barriers and motivators to accessing crisis services among trusted messengers of these groups.
• Inform culturally sensitive, responsive, and effective messaging development to help trusted messengers access 988 as a resource for themselves or when their loved one/close connection is struggling with mental health or in a crisis.

ACRI’s study focused on specific populations identified to be disproportionately affected by suicide, including American Indian/Alaska Native youth and young adults; Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander youth and young adults; Black youth and young adults; Hispanic, Latine youth and young adults; individuals who have attempted suicide or experienced serious thoughts of suicide during their lifetime; LGBTQIA+ youth and adults; people with disabilities; and rural older men. The researchers also identified four key trusted messenger groups: spouses/partners, mothers/caregivers, siblings, and friends. 

The study examined four key areas, including:

1. Mental health struggles & crisis - Understanding the mental health journey of loved ones/close connections and actions taken when help is needed
2. 988 knowledge & usage - Understanding trusted messengers’ awareness, familiarity, usage, and recommendation of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
3. 988 usage considerations and intentions - Identifying who would and would not use and/ or recommend 988 in future situations, and why or why not
4. 988 messaging performance - Testing message frames that would most compel trusted messengers to seek out information on and/or recommend 988 to their loved one/ close connection

The researchers highlighted the following recommendations for organizations communicating with trusted messengers of populations disproportionately impacted by suicide.

• Increase awareness of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
• Specify what 988 is and how it works. 
• Provide deeper resources for loved ones, closed connections, and messengers.
• Consider motivators, barriers, preferences, and differences among messenger groups and subpopulations.