Suicide is highly prevalent among youth, and it is a topic that needs to be publicly addressed. Suicide is an unfortunate occurrence in the United States. My 20 minute oral presentation will discuss using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to prevent suicide in youth, particularly in adolescents with depressive symptoms. CBT is a research-based psychotherapy that works on taking negative thoughts and behaviors and turning them into positive ones. By changing thoughts, it is possible to change behaviors. I will address what CBT is and three different studies that show the effectiveness of CBT. Each study uses CBT in different ways; by showing different techniques, it allows comparing and contrasting of the different methods. The presentation will also discuss why teenagers attempt suicide and statistics about suicide in adolescents. Warning signs of suicidal thoughts will also be presented because it is important to recognize the signs before it is too late.
Kara Kimevski is a senior psychology major at Kent State Stark. She plans to go to graduate school and study school counseling. She enjoys reading, spending time with her family, and hanging out with her friends when she is not busy with school.