Youth Suicide Risk Research Articles

Cyberbullying and Victimization and Youth Suicide Risk: The Buffering Effects of School Connectedness.

Bullying has been linked to adolescent suicidal behavior. With dramatic increases in social media use among youth, understanding the influence of cyberbullying on adolescent suicidal behavior has become central to prevention efforts. This study examined the potential protective role of school connectedness in the relationship between cyberbullying and suicide risk behavior. Data were from 93 adolescents participating in a longitudinal study of an intervention to prevent health-risk behavior including suicidal behavior. Hierarchical logistic regression was used to examine the influence of cyberbullying and school connectedness on adolescent suicidal behavior. Findings indicated that being a victim of cyberbullying, but not a perpetrator, was associated with increased risk of suicide and that connections to school moderated this relationship in that, among youth who were victims of cyberbullying, those more connected to school were less likely to report suicidal behavior. Implications for school-based suicide prevention and school nurse practice are discussed.

Apego parental y riesgo suicida en adolescentes y jóvenes

The objective of the study was to identify the association between suicide risk and parental attachment in adolescents and youth of Santa Marta (Colombia). Participants were 481 subjects, 45.7% male and 54.3% female, between 13 and 20 years old (M = 16.33 SD = 1.48). The Suicide Risk Scale and the Attachment Inventory with parents were used. The results showed that 24.5% present a high suicide risk. Regarding attachment to the mother, 14.3% present ambivalent attachment, 7.9% unsorted attachment and 1.7% avoidant attachment. Regarding the style of attachment with the father, 20.2% present ambivalent attachment, 18.5% unsorted attachment and 4.2% avoidant attachment. Finally, there is an association between positive attachment with the mother (X2 = 70.468, gl = 1; p = .000) and the father (X2 = 33.287, gl = 1; p = .000) with low suicide risk. It is concluded that Negative Parental Attachment is associated with high suicide risk and Positive Parental Attachment with low suicide risk

Utility of the “No Response” Option in Detecting Youth Suicide Risk in the Pediatric Emergency Department

We examine the characteristics of adolescents who select "no response" on a suicide screening instrument. This study used a preexisting data set containing records of 3,388 patients aged 12 to 17 years who completed asuicide screen after presenting to the emergency department with nonpsychiatric complaints. Respondents who answeredno response to at least one item without any yes responses were assigned to the no response group (n=58), whereas respondents who selected yes for any question (n=167) were assigned to the yes group. Researcher and mental health provider notes were analyzed to determine suicide risk level, presence of referral, and readiness to engage in treatment. Suicide risk and need for mental health referral were substantial for both groups. Clinically significant risk was identified for 84.5% of the no response group and 93.4% of the yes group, with documentation of suggested mental health referral present for 50.0% and 65.1%, respectively. Individuals in the no response group were more likely to be in 1 of the 2 earliest stages of readiness for treatment engagement (40.9% compared with 25.7% of adolescents in the yes group). To our knowledge, this is the first study to explore the relationship between a no response answer on a tablet-based screening instrument and risk for suicide as determined by a mental health provider. Although preliminary, this work indicates thatyouths who answer no response on suicide screening items are at elevated risk and may benefit from further evaluation or receipt of information on services. Further research is needed to better understand this population and their subsequent suicide risk.

3.2 Suicide Risk in Youth With ASD: Feasibility of Screening in the Medical Setting

Suicide is an international public health crisis and the second leading cause of death for youth aged 10 to 24 years. Recent studies suggest that youth with ASD are at increased risk. There has been significant progress in the development and validation of suicide risk tools for typically developing youth in medical settings; however, there are no suicide risk screening instruments validated specifically for the ASD population. Before screening programs can be implemented for people with ASD, it is critical to assess the feasibility of screening in this population. The aims of this study are as follows: 1) to review existing data on suicide risk in youth with ASD; and 2) to report preliminary feasibility data from several studies adapting/testing the Ask Suicide-Screening Questions (ASQ) toolkit for the population with ASD.

LGBT people and suicidality in youth: A qualitative study of perceptions of risk and protective circumstances

Evidence suggests that lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) people are more likely to attempt to take their own lives in their youth when compared to heterosexual and/or cisgender people. This study draws on in-depth interviews with 17 LGBT individuals living in England, and explores the narratives used by participants to better understand their perceptions of risk and protective circumstances to explain suicide attempts in youth. Using a Goffman-informed thematic analysis, results identified three key themes that were linked to attempts to end life in youth. The first theme considers the conflicts resulting from first disclosure of sexual orientation and/or gender identity/trans status and being ‘out’ to others. The second theme explores participants' accounts of their concurrent mental health issues and how diagnoses of the mental health issues helped them make sense of their own experiences of attempted suicide. The final theme explores the experience of grieving over lost relationships and how that grief is received by others, including health professionals. Our results indicate that some LGBT individuals have effectively, although often arduously, navigated suicidal crises by utilising various approaches to coping. We provide a rich and layered picture of LGBT suicide risk in youth and potential resilience scenarios, although these are a reflection of our specific group of participants' experiences and realities. We argue that it is important to understand how LGBT individuals with a history of suicide attempts narrate and make sense of their experiences in early life and we suggest that the early negative experiences continue to have an effect on LGBT adults today.

School-Based Suicide Prevention: A Framework for Evidence-Based Practice

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth aged 10–25 years, and approximately one in six adolescents reported serious suicidal ideation in the past year (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] in Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS). http://webappa.cdc.gov/cgi-bin/broker.exe , 2017). Schools are a unique environment in which to identify and respond to youth suicide risk, yet the research base for school-based suicide prevention programs is limited due to challenges with implementation and evaluation. The purpose of this article is to review best practice approaches and existing empirical support for school-based suicide prevention and to present a framework for how these efforts can be embedded within multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS). In line with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMHSA] (Preventing suicide: a toolkit for high schools. https://store.samhsa.gov/shin/content//SMA12-4669/SMA12-4669.pdf , 2012) framework for suicide prevention in schools, the article overviews existing programs for student education, staff training, and screening, noting where these programs may be situated across tiers of intervention. This is followed by a review of school-related outcomes of existing suicide prevention programs, which highlights the limitations of existing research. Because there are only two school-based prevention programs with evidence for reducing suicide risk in students, the authors encourage school staff to implement best practice recommendations in collaboration with school mental health professionals who can provide ongoing evaluation of program effectiveness, as well as with researchers who are able to design and conduct outcome studies addressing the limitations of current research. Findings also underscore the need for greater integration of suicide prevention programming with existing school initiatives such as MTSS, which aligns with a growing focus in the field of suicide prevention on “upstream approaches.”

Relación entre inteligencia emocional, afecto negativo y riesgo suicida en jóvenes universitarios

AimThe aim of this work is to analyze the relationship between perceived emotional intelligence, negative affect, satisfaction with life, and resilience on suicide risk in youth. Method144 college students of first year of Psychology with a mean age of 17.94 years (SD=.269) responded to a questionnaire containing demographic data and scales of perceived emotional intelligence; suicide risk, depression; anxiety; and life satisfaction. Results17 students (11.8%) had suicide risk and 8 (5.6%) had previously attempted suicide. A high risk of suicide was associated with lower levels of clarity and emotion regulation, resilience and life satisfaction, and high levels of anxiety and depression. Suicide risk significantly and positively correlated with negative affect (depression, anxiety) and negatively with the clarity and emotional regulation and life satisfaction. The regression analysis indicated that suicide risk was predicted by emotion regulation (17.2%), depression (14.9%) and life satisfaction (4%) accounting for 36.1% of its variance. ConclusionsIt is necessary to design psychological interventions aimed at preventing or reducing suicidal ideation and suicide risk based on the results obtained, particularly regarding emotional intelligence.

Suicide Risk Monitoring: the Missing Piece in Suicide Risk Assessment

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth aged 10–25 years and approximately 1-in-6 adolescents reported serious suicidal ideation in the past year. Schools are a unique environment in which to identify and respond to youth suicide risk. Although there are screening tools for identifying which youth are at risk and assessment measures for establishing the severity of suicide risk, an essential aspect of risk management is excluded: monitoring youth suicide risk. It is likely that this gap exists because most of the development and research on screening and assessment is in settings such as outpatient mental health clinics or hospitals where routine monitoring is difficult. The Suicide Risk Monitoring Tool (SMT) was developed so that school mental health professionals could quickly track changes in youth already identified at-risk for suicide, including youth who are assessed but remain in school, or those who are re-entering school after a hospitalization. The SMT includes factors known to correlate with youth suicide risk. This paper will review the research on suicide screening and risk assessment, identify and describe the empirical and theoretical basis for the SMT, relate monitoring to the comprehensive risk assessment within a school’s overall framework for suicide risk assessment procedures, and provide a detailed case study that demonstrates how the SMT can be used with students in a school setting. Implications for research and practice are included.

A Silenced Population.

Given challenges that exceed the normal developmental requirements of adolescence, deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) youth are believed to be at elevated risk for engaging in suicide-related behavior (SRB). Unfortunately, little is known about the mechanisms that put these youth potentially at risk. To determine whether peer relationship difficulties are related to increased risk of SRB in DHH youth. Student records (n = 74) were retrieved from an accredited educational center for deaf and blind students in the United States. Peer relationship difficulties were found to be significantly associated with engagement in SRB but not when accounting for depressive symptomatology. The restricted sample limits generalizability. Conclusions regarding risk causation cannot be made due to the cross-sectional nature of the study. These results suggest the need for future research that examines the mechanisms of the relationship between peer relationship difficulties, depression, and suicide risk in DHH youth and potential preventive interventions to ameliorate the risks for these at-risk youth.

Identifying and Responding to Suicide Risk in Schools

Schools provide a unique environment in which to identify and respond to youth suicide risk. A comprehensive approach to school-based suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention requires a multilevel systemic plan for screening suicide risk, programs that increase awareness of suicide risk factors and warning signs, access to community-based interventions including psychotherapies and hospitalization, and school-based responses to suicide deaths. Prevention programs with empirical support include the Good Behavior Game for elementary school students and Signs of Suicide for middle and high school students. Once youth have been identified as being at-risk for suicide, either by a peer or an adult, there are three categories of intervention: suicide risk monitoring, outpatient psychotherapy, and hospitalization. After hospitalization, a school re-entry meeting is essential for an affirmative and healthy transition back to school. Identifying and responding to youth suicide risk requires collaboration between school-based mental health professionals and community providers. [ Psychiatr Ann . 2017;47(8):401–405.]

General practitioners' clinical expertise in managing suicidal young people: implications for continued education.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death for young people worldwide. GPs are ideally suited to facilitate early identification and assessment of suicide risk. However, GPs' levels of competence, knowledge, and attitudes towards suicidal young people have not yet been explored. A cross-sectional survey on GPs' levels of confidence in assessing and managing young people at risk of suicide; knowledge of risk factors and warning signs of suicide in young people; attitudes towards young suicidal people; and training preferences on managing suicide risk. Findings Seventy GPs completed the survey (30 males). The majority of GPs reported high levels of confidence in assessing and managing suicidality in young people. Experienced GPs demonstrated high levels of knowledge of suicide risk factors in young people but low levels of knowledge of warning signs that might indicate heightened risk. Although 48% of GPs disagreed that maintaining compassionate care is difficult with those who deliberately self-harm, GPs perceived communication with young people to be difficult, with one-third reporting frustration in managing those at risk of suicide. A total of 75% of GPs said they would be interested in receiving further training on assessing and managing young people at risk of suicide. The study has important implications for providing specialist training to support GPs in assessing and managing youth suicide risk and facilitating attitudinal change. GP education on youth suicide risk assessment and management should promote a holistic understanding and assessment of risk and its individual, social and contextual influences in line with clinical recommendations to facilitate therapeutic engagement and communication with young people.

The Association Between Positive Relationships with Adults and Suicide-Attempt Resilience in American Indian Youth in New Mexico.

This study examined the 2013 New Mexico Youth Risk and Resiliency Survey (NM-YRRS) to determine whether cultural connectedness and positive relationships with adults protected against suicide attempts among American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth and whether these relationships differed by gender. The sample included 2,794 AI/AN students in grades 9 to 12 who answered the question about past-year suicide attempts. Protective factor variables tested included relationships with adults at home, school, and the community. The language spoken at home was used as a proxy measure for cultural connectedness. Positive relationships with adults were negatively associated with the prevalence of past-year suicide attempts in bivariate analysis. However, language spoken at home was not associated with the prevalence of suicide attempts. Multivariate analysis showed that among girls, relationships with adults at home, at school, and in the community were independently associated with lower suicide-attempt prevalence. Among boys, only relationships with adults at home showed such an association. These results have important implications for the direction of future research about protective factors associated with AI/AN youth suicide risk as well as in the design of suicide intervention and prevention programs.

Perfil cognitivo y prevalencia de depresión, desesperanza y riesgo suicida en jóvenes vinculados al primer nivel de formación en una escuela militar colombiana

Perfil cognitivo y prevalencia de depresión, desesperanza y riesgo suicida en jóvenes vinculados al primer nivel de formación en una escuela militar colombiana

5.2 Suicide Risk and Prevention in Youth: Effects of Suicide-Specific and Broader Community Interventions

5.2 Suicide Risk and Prevention in Youth: Effects of Suicide-Specific and Broader Community Interventions

Prevalencia de Depresión Desesperanza y Riesgo Suicida en Jóvenes Vinculados al Primer Nivel de Formación en una Escuela Militar

Prevalencia de Depresión Desesperanza y Riesgo Suicida en Jóvenes Vinculados al Primer Nivel de Formación en una Escuela Militar

Mental Health Practitioners’ Perceived Levels of Preparedness, Levels of Confidence and Methods Used in the Assessment of Youth Suicide Risk

Mental Health Practitioners’ Perceived Levels of Preparedness, Levels of Confidence and Methods Used in the Assessment of Youth Suicide Risk

PTSD, Depression, and Substance Use in Relation to Suicidality Risk among Traumatized Minority Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Youth

Youths who are lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) are more likely than heterosexuals to commit suicide. Substance use, PTSD, and depression are independent risk factors for suicidality; however, the extent to which these factors interact to predict suicidality is unclear. The current study examined the association between substance use, PTSD symptoms (PTSS), depressive symptoms, and suicidality in a sample of 68 traumatized minority LGB youths. Participants were recruited from an LGBT community center and completed a packet of questionnaires. Substance use and depressive symptoms were positively associated with prior suicide attempts. A significant three-way interaction revealed that substance use interacted with both PTSS and depressive symptoms to increase the odds of attempted suicide. Results underscore the importance of integrating substance use components into PTSD/depression treatment to reduce suicide risk in LGB youth.

Investigating Correlates of Suicide Among Male Youth: Questioning the Close Affinity Between Suicide Attempts and Deaths.

This study was based on a sample of male high school students who completed National Longitudinal Adolescent Health Surveys in 1994, 1995, and 2001. We studied these students prospectively, comparing those who later died by suicide (n = 21) with those who were still living (n = 10,101). We employed chi-square and analysis of variance tests for statistical significance between suicide decedents and living respondents. Results showed suicide decedents were more likely to have experienced the suicide loss of another family member, to have been expelled from school, to have engaged in more delinquent actions including fighting, and to have greater involvement with the criminal justice system. Although one might have expected suicide casualties to have exhibited a greater amount of suicidal thoughts, attempts, and higher incidences of suicidality among their friends, our analyses did not find that these factors were associated with actual suicides. Should these findings be replicated, this would point to a need to refine youth suicide risk assessments. Collecting life histories, as well as identifying patterns of delinquency and fighting, may serve as more potentially fruitful means for assessing genuine suicide risk than some traditional risk assessment methods.z.

Biological Indicators of Suicide Risk in Youth With Mood Disorders: What Do We Know So Far?

Suicidal behaviour in youth is a major public health concern worldwide, and youth in the early stages of a primary mood disorder are an identifiable high-risk population. Neurobiological research in youth at risk for suicidality has sought to investigate the most promising parameters from research in adults. The present paper provides an overview of the current findings of neurobiological research in children and adolescents with mood disorders and suicidality including genetic/epigenetic findings, neuro-hormonal and immunological investigations. Longitudinal research in high-risk youth is a powerful way to investigate the influences and their pathways in determining suicidal risk in the context of a developing mood disorder. In the meantime, there are clear clinical indicators of risk to help identify youth who would benefit from close surveillance and early intervention.

Suicide Risk in Youth with Intellectual Disabilities

Children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities (IDs), often diagnosed with comorbid psychiatric disorders, are a vulnerable population who may be at risk for developing suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Previous research has demonstrated that direct suicide screening can rapidly and effectively detect suicide risk and facilitate further clinical evaluation and management. Currently, there are no measures that screen for suicide risk designed specifically for individuals with ID. A review of the literature was conducted to (1) estimate the prevalence of suicidal thoughts, behaviors, and deaths by suicide in children and adolescents with ID; (2) describe associations between youth with ID and suicide risk; and (3) identify the limitations of commonly used suicide screening measures developed for non-ID youth. The literature review confirms that suicide risk exists in this population; youth with ID think about, attempt, and die by suicide. Standardized suicide risk screening is challenged by the lack of measures developed for this population. A summary of the findings is followed by a discussion of the practical clinical considerations surrounding the assessment of suicide risk in youth with ID.