Hopelessness, Family Functioning and Suicidal Ideation Among Chinese Adolescents in Hong Kong§

Abstract

Based on the responses of 5,557 Chinese secondary students in Hong Kong, the relationship among hopeless- ness, perceived family functioning and suicidal ideation was examined in this study. Results showed that while hopeless- ness had a positive relationship with suicidal ideation, perceived global family functioning had a negative relationship with Chinese adolescent suicidal ideation. Different dimensions of family functioning were differentially related to suici- dal ideation, with conflict and harmony, parental concern and parental control showing stronger prediction of adolescent suicidal ideation than did mutuality and communication. It was further found that family functioning moderated the rela- tionship between hopelessness and adolescent suicidal ideation. The present study underscores the importance of family functioning in the psychological well-being of Chinese adolescents. The theoretical and practical implications of the find- ings are discussed. Previous research has shown that hopelessness was re- lated to adolescent suicidal ideation. Several studies found that there was a significant relationship between hopeless- ness and suicidality (1-3) and hopelessness was found to be the strongest of cognitive variables in concurrent association with suicidal ideation (4). Researchers also reported that hopelessness was the best predictor of suicidal ideation in students and adolescents experiencing bipolar disorder (5-7). However, the existing studies are predominantly Western studies and there are no related systematic studies in the Chinese contexts.