Suicide Ideation and Attempts among First Nations Peoples Living On-Reserve in Canada: The Intergenerational and Cumulative Effects of Indian Residential Schools

McQuaid, Robyn J.; Bombay, Amy; McInnis, Opal A.; Humeny, Courtney; Matheson, Kimberly; Anisman, Hymie

doi:10.1177/0706743717702075

Cited by 82 publications

(54 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…62 We have previously speculated that epigenetic changes might contribute to the transgenerational effects of the trauma related to the IRS experience. 8,20 Yet, as we indicated, the trauma experienced did not end with release from these schools, but continued when survivors returned to their communities. 9 Thus, in considering the specific pathways leading to psychological distress in children and grandchildren, prenatal and postnatal environmental factors, and their interactions, may underlie intergenerational patterns in stress-related outcomes, brain morphometry, and gene expression patterns, and could possibly vary in a sexually dimorphic fashion.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 70%

“…11,17,18 In addition to the effects on survivors themselves, the offspring of those who attended IRS demonstrated elevated risks for poorer self-reported health, chronic and infectious diseases psychological distress, as well as suicidal thoughts and attempts. 8,11,12,[17][18][19][20][21] Offspring of IRS survivors further reported elevated rates of childhood adversity and stressors throughout adulthood, including race and culture-related stressors such as discrimination experiences, 11,17,19,22 all of which contribute to poorer mental health outcomes. 19 In particular, many of these factors linked to parental residential school attendance are predictors of higher rates of suicide and suicidal behaviors and psychological distress across cultures.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Suicidal thoughts and attempts in First Nations communities: links to parental Indian residential school attendance across development

Bombay

McQuaid

Schwartz

et al. 2018

J Dev Orig Health Dis

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The Indian residential school (IRS) system in Canada ran for over a century until the last school closed in 1996. Conditions in the IRSs resulted in generations of Indigenous children being exposed to chronic childhood adversity. The current investigation used data from the 2008-2010 First Nations Regional Health Survey to explore whether parental IRS attendance was associated with suicidal thoughts and attempts in childhood, adolescence and in adulthood among a representative sample of First Nations peoples living on-reserve across Canada. Analyses of the adult sample in Study 1 (unweighted n=7716; weighted n=186,830) revealed that having a parent who attended IRS was linked with increased risk for suicidal thoughts and attempts in adolescence and adulthood. Although females were negatively affected by having a parent who attended IRS, the link with suicidal ideation in adulthood was greater for males. Analyses of the youth sample in Study 2 (unweighted n=2883; weighted n=30,190) confirmed that parental IRS attendance was associated with an increased risk for suicidal ideation and attempts. In contrast to the adult sample, parental IRS attendance had a significantly greater relation with suicidal ideation among female youth. A significant interaction also emerged between parental IRS attendance and age in the youth sample, with the influence of parental attendance being particularly strong among youth ages 12-14, compared with those 15-17 years. These results underscore the need for culturally relevant early interventions for the large proportions of Indigenous children and youth intergenerationally affected by IRSs and other collective traumas.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 70%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Suicidal thoughts and attempts in First Nations communities: links to parental Indian residential school attendance across development

Bombay

McQuaid

Schwartz

et al. 2018

J Dev Orig Health Dis

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“…This finding was supported by a review conducted by Bombay et al [64], which summarized a small, but growing literature that confirms the link between familial intergenerational residential school attendance and suicide. A more recent study using 2008-2010 national First Nations Regional Health Survey adult data also verified the link between intergenerational residential school exposure and suicide [65]. These intergenerational colonial impacts have been noted elsewhere.…”

Section: Manitoba Case Study: Survey Datamentioning

confidence: 58%

Reflecting back to move forward with suicide behavior estimation for First Nations in Canada

Elias¹

2019

SJI

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While many countries produce suicide rates, within country estimation practices may privilege the dominant society and fail to report suicide estimates for populations historically discriminated against. In Canada, national suicide mortality studies are rarely reported for Indigenous populations. Yet, this population is known for high suicide behavior. Administrative, census and survey data are available but are not systematically or critically analyzed. To address this gap, this paper provides an overview of social-political drivers to improve Indigenous statistics (particularly for suicide) and opportunities to report Indigenous suicide via different data sources in Canada. A case study illustrates the use of multiple data sources to report suicide and its correlates for an Indigenous group residing in the Province of Manitoba (Canada). Recommendations then follow to improve Indigenous statistics for suicide.

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“…The participatory model building workshop was used to capture the understandings of employees who work in suicide prevention or related areas in a federal public health organization, eliciting useful information about upstream risk and protective factors [19]. The addition of factors related to discrimination and oppression to the pre-existing list of risk and protective factors is important, particularly given the higher rates of suicide among some Indigenous populations in Canada [36,37]. Together, these factors interrelate and operate at multiple levels, and the resulting draft conceptual model is an initial attempt to articulate this.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Participatory model building for suicide prevention in Canada

Thompson

Lang

Olibris

et al. 2020

Int J Ment Health Syst

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Background: Suicide is a behaviour that results from a complex interplay of factors, including biological, psychological, social, cultural, and environmental factors, among others. A participatory model building workshop was conducted with fifteen employees working in suicide prevention at a federal public health organization to develop a conceptual model illustrating the interconnections between such factors. Through this process, knowledge emerged from participants and consensus building occurred, leading to the development of a conceptual model that is useful to organize and communicate the complex interrelationships between factors related to suicide. Methods: A model building script was developed for the facilitators to lead the participants through a series of group and individual activities that were designed to elicit participants' implicit models of risk and protective factors for suicide in Canada. Participants were divided into three groups and tasked with drawing the relationships between factors associated with suicide over a simplified suicide process model. Participants were also tasked with listing prevention levers that are in use in Canada and/or described in the scientific literature. Results: Through the workshop, risk and prevention factors and prevention levers were listed and a conceptual model was drafted. Several "lessons learned" which could improve future workshops were generated through reflection on the process. Conclusions: This workshop yielded a helpful conceptual model contextualising upstream factors that can be used to better understand suicide prevention efforts in Canada.

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Suicide Ideation and Attempts among First Nations Peoples Living On-Reserve in Canada: The Intergenerational and Cumulative Effects of Indian Residential Schools

Abstract: Idé ation et tentatives de suicide chez les peuples des Premiè re nations habitant dans des ré serves au Canada: les effets intergé né rationnels et cumulatifs des pensionnats indiens

Cited by 82 publications

References 33 publications

Suicidal thoughts and attempts in First Nations communities: links to parental Indian residential school attendance across development

Suicidal thoughts and attempts in First Nations communities: links to parental Indian residential school attendance across development

Reflecting back to move forward with suicide behavior estimation for First Nations in Canada

Participatory model building for suicide prevention in Canada

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