The Dependency Needs And Perceived Availability And Adequacy Of Relationships In Female Adolescent Suicide Attempters

Abstract

Traditional theories about female adolescent suicide attempters view them as experiencing difficulty in achieving adequate separation‐individuation. However, recent work on female adolescence suggests that achieving greater interdependency within relationships rather than increased independence from them is an important goal for nonclinical nonsuicidal female adolescents. We investigated both dependency needs and the perceived availability and adequacy of relationships in 21 female adolescent attempters and 23 nonattempters. Dependency needs did not significantly differentiate suicide attempters from nonattempters. Attempters, however, did report both a smaller social network and fewer intimate relationships than nonattempters, as well as less satisfaction with these relationships. These preliminary results suggest that more research is required to establish whether dependency needs are indeed causally related to the female adolescents' suicide attempts. Future research should also investigate other risk factors such as relational dissatisfaction, familial suicide attempts, and abuse.

Gender Differences in Life Stressors Associated with Child and Adolescent Suicides in Singapore from 1995 to 2003

“…Bearman & Moody, 2004;Bettridge & Favreau, 1995). Ethnically diverse samples have also been studied (e.g.…”

“…Interpersonal relationship problems were also associated with suicide attempts. For example, Bettridge and Favreau (1995) found that adolescent attempters reported less availability of intimate relationships in their lives, significantly less satisfaction in these intimate relationships, and more serious interpersonal conflicts compared with non-attempters. Second, family problems/conflict pose significant suicide risk for children and adolescents.…”

“…To date, Chodorow's (1974) argument has been empirically investigated in various adolescent samples consisting of suicide attempters as well as suicide ideators (e.g. Bearman & Moody, 2004;Bettridge & Favreau, 1995). Ethnically diverse samples have also been studied (e.g.…”

An Inquiry into Relationship Suicides and Reciprocity

“…Patel et al (2006) recently reported that problems with current or former intimate partners contributed to nearly 28% of the suicides in the National Violent Death Reporting System for the period 2003–2004, confirming earlier work by Weissman (1974). These statistics reinforce a growing body of research that has found a correlation between actual or intended self‐harm and problems with family or other interpersonal relationships (see Barber, Blackman, Talbot, & Saebel, 2004; Bettridge & Favreau, 1995; Milnes, Owens, & Blenkiron, 2002; Slap, Vorters, Chaudhuri, & Centor, 1989; Wasserman, 1988).…”

Measuring Perceived Mutuality in Women: Further Validation of the Connection–Disconnection Scale

“…According to relational-cultural theory (RCT), numerous aspects of women's health are impacted by the quality and strength of the relationships around them (Miller & Stiver, 1997). RCT asserts that more connected relationships with important others will lead to better quality of life (e.g., Finkelstein, 1996;Frey, Beesley, & Miller, 2006;Perilla, Bakeman, & Norris, 1994;Spencer, 2002), better health (e.g., Amaro, 1995;Bettridge & Favreau, 1995;Lyons, Sayer, Archbold, Hornbrook, & Stewart, 2007), and better mental health (e.g., Hedelin & Jonsson, 2003;Kaplan, 1986;Sanftner et al, 2006;Sanftner, Tantillo, & Seidlitz, 2004;Tantillo & Sanftner, 2003).…”