Sex Differences in the Causes of Adolescent Suicide Ideation (From Adolescent Suicide, P 115-126, 1988, Robert W. Cole, Jr., ed -- See NCJ-117025)

• NCJ Number: 117030
• Author(s): R L Simons; P I Murphy
• Date Published: 1988
• Length: 12 pages
• Sale Source: Phi Delta Kappa
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Reprinted from Journal of Youth and Adolescents, V 14, no. 5, October 1985

Annotation

A model incorporating both socioenvironmental and psychological factors to explain adolescent suicide ideation was developed and testing using a sample of 407 high school students from two small communities in a midwestern State.

Abstract

The sample included 255 males and 168 females. The majority of the students were white, Protestant or Catholic, and lower-middle class to middle class. They completed 200 self-report questionnaire items relating to youth problems, difficulties, attitudes, feelings, and behavior. Results showed that the lack of multivariate analysis and of attention to sex differences in most previous research are important omissions. Although significant at the zero-order level, factors such as self-esteem and interpersonal problems at school were not related to suicide ideation when the effects of other explanatory variables were controlled. The incidence of suicide ideation was also higher for females than for males. Emotional problems and involvement in delinquent behavior were important predictors of ideation for females, while employment problems were the most powerful predictor for males. Tables and 64 references. (Author abstract modified)