Connectedness


Connectedness is the degree to which a person or group is socially close, interrelated, or shares resources with other persons or groups 1.

Social connectedness and support are two important protective factors that can help buffer the effects of risk factors on suicide. 

Connectedness can include:
  • Connectedness between individuals
  • Connectedness among family members
  • Connectedness to community organizations
  • Connection of groups to their cultural traditions and history 2.

What You Can Do to Promote Connection

1.

Support the development of relationships between youth and positive adults in their lives 2

2.

Help build positive attachments between families and organizations in the community 2

3.

Create and sustain peer-delivered services and support groups 2

4.

Implement activities in educational institutions that help students increase and strengthen their social networks and connections 2

Resources

Videos and Webinars
→ Promoting Connectedness to Prevent Suicide – Webinar developed by the Suicide Prevention Resource Center.

Articles
→ Helping Your Child Feel Connected to School – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) guide for parents and families.
→ Strategic direction for the prevention of suicidal behavior: Promoting individual, family, and community connectedness to prevent suicidal behavior – The CDC describes ways to prevent suicide by strengthening connectedness or social bonds within and among persons, families, and communities.
→ Connectedness & Suicide Prevention in College Settings – Brofenbrenner Center for Translational Research at Cornell University developed this paper to define connectedness and describes the four core components of a connectedness framework.

Resources for Schools
→ School Connectedness: Strategies for Increasing Protective Factors Among Youth
→ Fostering School Connectedness (Administrators)
→ Fostering School Connectedness (Teachers)

References

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (n.d.). Preventing suicide through connectedness. https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/5275.
2. Suicide Prevention Resource Center. (n.d.). Promote social connectedness and support. https://sprc.org/effective-prevention/a-comprehensive-approach-to-suicide-prevention/promote-social-connectedness-and-support/.