Abstract
Traditional gatekeeper interventions primarily target suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STB) without differentiating between suicidal and nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). This intervention seeks to address this gap by presenting NSSI and STB as two distinct constructs that exist on a spectrum, as implied by the gateway theory of NSSI. Previous research on NSSI and STB interventions have found minimal long-term effects on mental health literacy and stigma. Current research identified social media platforms, such as TikTok, as valuable methods of education and knowledge dissemination. With the increasing prevalence of social media, this study seeks to combine the use of gatekeeper interventions with positive, active learning methods through participant creation of TikTok videos. This study analyzed the short-term effects of this novel intervention to assess its effectiveness at reducing stigma and increasing gatekeeper skills and knowledge surrounding both NSSI and STB. Participants (N = 118) were randomized to either the experimental condition (consisting of viewing three training modules and creating a TikTok-style video) or to a waitlist control condition. The results revealed that those who created a video about the module content scored significantly higher than the control condition in gatekeeper skills and knowledge. Secondary analyses found that self-compassion mediated the relationship between NSSI engagement and emotion regulation. Emotion regulation also mediated the relationship between NSSI engagement and self-compassion. Characteristics of the participants’ videos were coded and are also discussed.