Adolescents’ Self-reported Running Away from Home and Suicide Attempts During a Period of Economic Recession in Greece

Abstract

Running away from home and suicide attempts during adolescence are high-risk behaviors for safety and health, and a “way out” from negative life experiences. To examine the self-reported prevalence of running away and suicide attempts among adolescents in Greece in the midst of a severe economic recession which is exerting pressure on families, and to identify associated psychosocial factors. Data were drawn from a nationally representative school survey (n = 23,279, 15–19 years old). Students answered in their classrooms an anonymous questionnaire under the supervision of trained researchers. Each behavior was reported by one in nine adolescents (11.3 % for lifetime suicide attempts and 11.6 % for lifetime running away). Among those who reported the one behavior, a quarter also reported the other. Logistic regression analyses indicated that these behaviors share several common psychosocial correlates: family related (quality of parental relationships, parental monitoring), school related (poor performance and dissatisfaction), substance use, and emotional, psychological and behavioral problems. Gender was a significant correlate but in opposite directions for running away (more common among boys) and suicide attempts (more common among girls). Socioeconomic status was not a significant correlate for either behavior, possibly because the impact of the economic crisis on parents had not yet filtered down to their children in 2011 (the survey year). Findings suggest the need for timely interventions towards vulnerable youth and their families by identifying personal, familial and school factors associated with these two health- and life-compromising behaviors.