Chapter 25 - Suicide among Racial and Ethnic Groups: Implications for Research and Practice

Abstract

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, particularly for adolescents and young adults. Though depression is often a contributing factor in suicide, cultural influences may play significant roles, both as stressors and buffers to suicide attempts and completions. Unfortunately, our current knowledge of these cultural factors is limited, but there have been increasing efforts over the past decade to determine common and varying ethnic, as well as broader cultural, influences on suicide. Though even more limited, researchers and practitioners are beginning to develop culturally inclusive prevention and intervention efforts in order to decrease the likelihood of suicide, as well as offering postvention assistance. This chapter summarizes the suicide literature among African American, Asian American, Latino/a Americans, and American Indians.