Latina Adolescent Suicide Ideations and Attempts: Associations with Connectedness to Parents, Peers, and Teachers

Abstract

Associations between suicidal behavior and social-ecological variables were examined among 1,618 Latina high school students (mean age = 15) from the nationally representative Add Health sample (68% were U.S.-born). Ideations were associated with having a suicidal friend, lower perceived father support, and overall parental caring. Attempts were associated with having a suicidal friend, and lower perceived teacher and parental support. Peer and mother relationship variables were not predictors of ideations or attempts. The protective role of father and teacher support has not previously been emphasized in the literature. Strengthening connections to parents and teachers may reduce suicidal behavior in adolescent Latinas.

Latina Adolescents Health Risk Behaviors and Suicidal Ideation and Suicide Attempts: Results from the National Youth Risk Behavior Survey 2001–2013

“…Perceived school connectedness is an important protective factor against student suicide behaviors. Regular in service activities for faculty and staff to reinforce a caring and nurturing environment towards students especially disenfranchised students, is an essential component of suicide prevention in schools [20,[34][35][36][37][38] • Schools need to develop a regular school-family outreach program that provides parents with helpful information, including issues of adolescent suicide [34]. Schools may face barriers when attempting to engage parents.…”

“…To date all reported research studies on risk factors associated with Latina adolescent suicide ideation and attempted suicides have been at a particular point in time [17][18][19][20][21]. None of the existing research has examined how health risk factors for Latina adolescent suicide ideation and suicide attempts have changed over time.…”

The Associations Between Children's and Adolescents’ Suicidal and Self-Harming Behaviors, and Related Behaviors Within Their Social Networks: A Systematic Review

“…As with family studies, the majority of studies in this section (eleven -68.8%) reported positive associations between the SSHB of adolescents and that of their friends, with an increased likelihood of those whose friends engaged in SSHB doing so themselves, and vice versa (Alfonso & Kaur, 2012;Brent et al, 1993;Cerel, Roberts, & Nilsen, 2005;Claes, Houben, Vandereycken, Bijttebier, & Muehlenkamp, 2010;De Luca, Wyman, & Warren, 2012;Hasking, Andrews, & Martin, 2013;Ho, Leung, Hung, Lee, & Tang, 2000;Liu, 2006;Prinstein, Boergers, & Spirito, 2001;Prinstein et al, 2010;Sidhartha & Jena, 2006;You, Lin, Fu, & Leung, 2013). One study sampled clinical participants (Prinstein et al, 2010); the rest employed school/community samples.…”

Self-harm Among Hispanic Adolescents: Investigating the Role of Culture-Related Stressors

“…As shown, age was first added to the model as a control. Then, we applied an adapted ecological theoretical approach 10,11,12 adding HSI-A domains in subsequent steps, beginning with internalized processes (Acculturation), moving toward external processes (family economic, drug, and immigration), followed by external community experiences (discrimination, immigration stress) and finally community structures (community gang and educational systems).…”

“…Other research studies have implemented this ecological model to further understand suicidal ideation and suicidal behavior among adolescents. 10,11,12 Findings from these studies have linked adolescent suicidal behavior to the various ecological systems. In an effort to understand the unique experience of Latino adolescents, Zayas 13 provided a comprehensive conceptual model for researchers to consider in exploring suicidal behavior.…”