Interpersonal Predictors of Suicide Ideation and Attempt Among Early Adolescents

Abstract

Despite the growing epidemic of suicide ideation and attempt in adolescents, there is a lack of theory-based, empirical research to shed light on these issues in this population and inform school counselors’ preventive and responsive practices. We utilized Joiner’s Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (IPTS) to examine the extent to which the interpersonal constructs of perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness predicted adolescent suicide ideation and attempt by conducting two binomial logistic regressions on archival data from the 2017 eighth-grade Oregon Healthy Teens Survey. Six of the seven selected proxy items were statistically significant in each logistic model, with slight variance between the two. Our findings suggest that the interpersonal constructs of the IPTS are applicable to early adolescents and may be used to inform suicide prevention and intervention efforts among this population in school settings.

Why do adolescents attempt suicide? Insights from leading ideation-to-action suicide theories: a systematic review

“…By contrast, other community samples found thwarted belongingness, but not perceived burdensomeness, to be associated with future suicidal ideation severity [ 46 , 47 ]. Yet, a large sample of early and middle adolescents showed both perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness distinguished those with and without suicidal ideation [ 48 , 49 ].…”