Social Support and Coping Styles in Predicting Suicide Probability among Turkish Adolescents

Fulya Cenkseven-Önder

doi:10.13189/ujer.2018.060114

Abstract

This study aims to investigate whether the perceived social support and coping styles are predictors of suicide probability by gender. The study was conducted with 445 high schools students, 227 girls, and 218 boys. The participants were aged between 14 and 18, and their average age was 15.90. Data were collected through the 'Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support', the 'Ways of Coping Questionnaire', and the 'Suicide Probability Scale'. Data were analyzed using MANOVA, Pearson correlation test and regression analysis. Results showed that suicide probability, perceived support from friends and significant others and helpless approach scores of the girls were significantly higher than the boys. Besides, significant relationships were found between suicide probability and perceived social support and coping styles. Regression analyses were performed for girls and boys separately. Perceived social support from family, helpless and optimistic styles were found to predict female adolescents' suicide probability significantly. As for male adolescents, in addition to perceived social support from family, helpless and optimistic styles, seeking social support was also found to be a significant predictor of suicide probability. Findings were discussed in line with the related literature, and recommendations were made.

Highlights

According to the World Health Organization data, [80] suicide, which is an important public health problem, is one of the primary causes of death among adolescents
The present study aims to investigate the relationship of social support and coping behaviors, which are among protective factors and risk factors, with suicide probability in adolescents by gender
MANOVA results of analysis revealed that there were significant differences according to gender in respect of suicide probability, social support and coping styles (Wilk’s Lambda (Λ)= 0.893, F(1, 443)= 5.77, p < .001)

Summary

Introduction

According to the World Health Organization data, [80] suicide, which is an important public health problem, is one of the primary causes of death among adolescents. Both in the world [20, 61, 80] and in Turkey high death rates due to suicide were found to be in the young population [4, 5, 6, 74]. Suicide probability, which is defined as a general tendency to kill oneself, enables a new measurement for the conceptualization and assessment of the suicide risk. Suicide probability is defined with the scores obtained from the subscales of suicidal ideation, negative self-evaluation, hostility and hopelessness [17]

Objectives

Results

Conclusion