ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND
Research on the extent to which cyberbullying affects sexual minority youth is limited. This study examined associations between experiencing cyber and school bullying and ...engaging in aggressive and suicidal behaviors among sexual minority youth. We also explored whether feeling connected to an adult at school moderated these associations.
METHODS
Data came from 951 self‐identified lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) youth, who completed the New York City Youth Risk Behavior Survey during fall 2009. We used multiple logistic regression to examine the hypothesized associations and test for effect modification.
RESULTS
Cyber and school bullying were associated with engaging in aggressive and suicidal behaviors among LGB youth. Youth experiencing both cyber and school bullying had the greatest odds of engaging in aggressive and suicidal behaviors. However, feeling connected to an adult at school moderated these associations such that bullied youth who felt connected were not more likely to report aggressive and suicidal behaviors.
CONCLUSIONS
The findings highlight the challenges faced by bullied LGB youth. Practitioners should work with school administrators to establish supportive environments for sexual minority youth. Helping victimized LGB youth develop meaningful connections with adults at school can minimize the negative impacts of cyber and school bullying.
Background: The identification of modifiable psychological factors associated with suicide attempt and suicide death is required for the development of effective preventive interventions. The aim of ...this systematic review was to identify studies which explored psychological factors in relation to suicidal behaviour in the Scottish population. Methods: Search terms relating to (i) suicide, (ii) associated psychological factors, and (iii) Scotland were searched in five bibliographic databases. Of the 1,479 papers identified, eight were eligible for, and seven included in, this review. Results: Fourteen psychological factors were found to be significantly associated with suicide attempt and suicide death, after controlling for possible confounders. These factors were grouped into the following headings: connectivity, mental health and internal factors. Limitations: Only a small number of papers were eligible for this review, of which only a subset used a prospective design. Conclusions: Many of the factors associated with suicide attempt and death were consistent with key concepts highlighted in the Integrated Motivational-Volitional (IMV) Model, in particular all major drivers of suicide (defeat, entrapment and suicidal ideation) and several volitional factors, including connectivity with others. Further investigation of the psychological factors addressed in this review, using prospective designs and clarifying the intended outcome of self-injurious action, is encouraged.
•The adjusted hazard ratio for suicide attempts was estimated to 22.6 for those who have combined exposure from their own mental illness and parental suicide attempts.•The absolute risk for suicide ...attempts before 35 years of age was estimated to 20 % for those who have combined exposure from their own mental illness and parental suicide attempts (23 % for women vs. 15 % for men).•The absolute risk for death before 35 years of age was estimated to 4 % for those who have combined exposure from their own mental illness and parental suicide attempts (0.6 % for women vs. 7 % for men).•The absolute risk for pre-mature death before 35 years of age, among male who have attempted suicide was estimated to be 15 %.•The proportion of suicide attempts that could be attributed to having combined exposure from their own mental illness and suicide attempts among the parents was 80.7 %.•Reporting both absolute and relative risks have very high clinical value, compared to only reporting relative risk.
The aim of this study was to analyse the joint impact of moderate-to-severe mental illness and parental suicidal attempts on suicidal attempt and premature death.
Using the Danish, nationwide health registries, a cohort study was conducted including the birth cohorts 1983–1989. Cox regression and multistate models were used to estimate relative and absolute risks of suicide attempt and premature death.
We included 384,569 individuals and 7,218 individuals experienced their first suicide attempt during follow-up, while 2,762 individuals died of all causes. Joined exposure to parental suicide attempt and own mental illness increased the relative risk of suicide attempt (HR 22.57) and premature death all causes (HR 3.17). The absolute risk of suicide attempt before the age of 35 years was 20 % for offspring exposed to both parental suicide attempts and own mental illness (23 % for women vs. 15 % for men), while the risk of death was 4 % (0.6 % for women vs. 7 % for men).
Exposure to both parental suicide attempt and own mental illness increases the relative and absolute risks of suicide attempt and premature death with considerable differences across sex. These findings are important in the clinical assessment of individuals with suicidal behavior.
We examined the cross-sectional associations between reports of an early age of alcohol use initiation and suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and peer and dating violence victimization and ...perpetration among high-risk adolescents.
Data were obtained from the Youth Violence Survey conducted in 2004 and administered to all public school students enrolled in grades 7, 9, and 11/12 (N = 4131) in a high-risk school district in the United States. Our analyses were limited to seventh-grade students who either began drinking before the age of 13 or were nondrinkers, with complete information on all covariates (n = 856). Cross-sectional logistic and multinomial logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine the associations between early alcohol use and each of the 6 outcome behaviors (dating violence victimization and perpetration, peer violence victimization and perpetration, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts) while controlling for demographic characteristics and other potential confounders (ie, heavy episodic drinking, substance use, peer drinking, depression, impulsivity, peer delinquency, and parental monitoring).
In our study, 35% of students reported alcohol use initiation before 13 years of age (preteen alcohol use initiators). Students who reported preteen alcohol use initiation reported involvement in significantly more types of violent behaviors (mean: 2.8 behaviors), compared with nondrinkers (mean: 1.8 behaviors). Preteen alcohol use initiation was associated significantly with suicide attempts, relative to nondrinkers, controlling for demographic characteristics and all other potential confounders.
Early alcohol use is an important risk factor for involvement in violent behaviors and suicide attempts among youths. Increased efforts to delay and to reduce early alcohol use among youths are needed and may reduce both violence and suicide attempts.
The Suicide Crisis Syndrome (SCS) is a new proposed suicide-specific diagnosis. In the present large replication study, we examine SCS diagnostic criteria to determine which configuration of symptoms ...demonstrates the strongest convergent and predictive validity for near-term suicidal behaviour.
We conducted confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to examine the factor structure of the proxy-SCS variables derived from an extensive self-report test battery and administered to 903 psychiatric patients (age (M = 36.70, SD = 13.91); gender (64.0% female)) at intake and 4-8-week follow-up assessments. Convergent and predictive validity of five configurations of the proposed SCS diagnostic criteria for suicidal ideation (SI) and attempts (SA) were examined using regression analyses. The new clinician-rated SCS-Checklist was piloted with 68 participants.
Both the one-factor and the five-factor models of proxy-SCS variables exhibited strong model fit, supporting the uni-dimensionality as well as the five-criteria structure of the SCS. All four configurations were uniquely related to the presence of a suicide attempt at follow-up when controlling for intake SI, lifetime SA, age, and gender, but none were significantly associated with intake SA when controlling for intake SI, age, and gender. All bivariate correlations between proxy-assessed and checklist-assessed SCS symptom configurations were significant and positive.
The proposed five-symptom structure of the SCS diagnostic criteria was supported and appears to describe a clinically meaningful syndrome specifically related to near-term suicidal behaviour. SCS assessment may significantly improve clinical evaluation of imminent suicide risk. Future studies are needed to assess the utility of the syndrome in clinical settings.
•The uni-dimensionality and five-criteria structure of the proxy-SCS was supported by strong one- and five-factor model fits.•The five-symptom proxy-SCS configuration is clinically necessary for reliably predicting near-term suicide attempts.•The five-symptom SCS-Checklist may be a reliable clinician-friendly suicide risk assessment tool, pending further research.
Abstract Purpose To examine disparities between sexual minority youth (SMY) and heterosexual youth in rates of suicidality and depression symptoms. Methods Separate meta-analyses were conducted to ...examine suicidality and depression disparities. Studies were included if the average age of the participants was <18 years, and if suicidality or depression symptoms were compared across SMY and heterosexual youth. Results SMY reported significantly higher rates of suicidality (odds ratio OR = 2.92) and depression symptoms (standardized mean difference, d = .33) as compared with the heterosexual youth. Disparities increased with the increase in the severity of suicidality (ideation OR = 1.96, intent/plans OR = 2.20, suicide attempts OR = 3.18, suicide attempts requiring medical attention OR = 4.17). Effects did not vary across gender, recruitment source, and sexual orientation definition. Conclusions Disparities in suicidality and depression may be influenced by negative experiences including discrimination and victimization. Clinicians should assess sexual orientation, analyze psychosocial histories to identify associated risk factors, and promote prevention and intervention opportunities for SMY and their families.
Disturbances in lipid metabolism have been linked to suicidal behaviour, but little is known about the association between suicide risk and abnormal glucose metabolism in depression. Hyperglycaemia ...and hyperinsulinaemia may increase the risk of depression and also the risk for suicide, we therefore studied associations between suicidal behaviour and disturbances in glucose metabolism in depressive patients who had been referred to depression nurse case managers.
Patients aged 35 years and older (N = 448, mean age 51 years) who were experiencing a new depressive episode, who were referred to depression nurse case managers in 2008-2009 and who scored ≥10 on the Beck Depression Inventory were enrolled in this study. The study was conducted in municipalities within the Central Finland Hospital District (catchment area of 274 000 inhabitants) as part of the Finnish Depression and Metabolic Syndrome in Adults study. The patients' psychiatric diagnoses and suicidal behaviour were confirmed by the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Blood samples, for glucose and lipid determinations, were drawn from participants after 12 h of fasting, which was followed by a 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) when blood was drawn at 0 and 2 h. Insulin resistance was measured by the Quantitative Insulin Sensitivity Check Index (QUICKI) method.
Suicidal ideation (49 %) and previous suicide attempts (16 %) were common in patients with major depressive disorder or dysthymia. Patients with depression and suicidal behaviour had higher blood glucose concentrations at baseline and at 2 hours in the OGTT. Glucose levels associated positively with the prevalence of suicidal behaviour, and the linearity was significant at baseline (p for linearity: 0.012, adjusted for age and sex) and for 2-hour OGTT glucose (p for linearity: 0.004, adjusted for age and sex). QUICKI levels associated with suicidal behavior (p for linearity across tertiles of QUICKI: 0.026). Total and LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels were also higher in those patients with suicidal behaviour. Multivariate analysis revealed that blood glucose levels, BDI scores and antidepressive medications associated with suicidal behaviour.
Insulin resistance and disturbances in glucose and lipid metabolism may be more common in middle-aged depressive patients with suicidal behaviour.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND
For youth between the ages of 10 and 24, suicide is the third leading cause of death, and results in approximately 4600 lives lost each year. Body weight status and bullying is ...associated with increase mental health disorders.
METHODS
We analyzed data from the 2015 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, consisting of 15,506 students in grades 9‐12. Logistic regression analysis was performed using STATA13 to estimate the independent association of perceived weight status and bullying experienced at school and electronically to suicidal behaviors measured as—considered suicide, made a suicide plan, attempted suicide, and injurious suicide attempt, after controlling for socio‐demographics.
RESULTS
Considered suicide and attempted suicide were significantly associated with very overweight, slightly overweight, very underweight, and slightly underweight weight perceptions. Made suicide plan was significantly associated with slightly and very overweight perceptions. Injurious suicide attempt was significantly associated with very underweight or very overweight perceptions. Bullying, at school and electronically was significantly associated with all suicidal behaviors.
CONCLUSIONS
Examination of not just body weight status but body weight perceptions held by adolescent students, and the experience of not just in‐person bullying but also electronic bullying on youth suicidal behaviors is crucial.
To review the studies that test treatments targeting adolescent suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, or self-harm, and to make recommendations for future intervention development.
The extant ...randomized clinical trials that aim to reduce the intensity of suicidal ideation or the recurrence of suicide attempts or self-harm were reviewed with respect to treatment components, comparison treatments, sample composition, and outcomes.
The majority of studies that showed any effect on suicidal ideation, attempts, or self-harm had some focus on family interactions or nonfamilial sources of support. Two of the most efficacious interventions also provided the greatest number of sessions. Some other treatment elements associated with positive effects include addressing motivation for treatment and having explicit plans for integrating the experimental treatment with treatment as usual. In many studies, suicidal events tend to occur very early in the course of treatment prior to when an effective "dose" of treatment could be delivered. Important factors that might mitigate suicidal risk, such as sobriety, healthy sleep, and promotion of positive affect, were not addressed in most studies.
Interventions that can front-load treatment shortly after the suicidal crisis, for example, while adolescent suicide attempters are hospitalized, may avert early suicidal events. Treatments that focus on the augmentation of protective factors, such as parent support and positive affect, as well as the promotion of sobriety and healthy sleep, may be beneficial with regard to the prevention of recurrent suicidal ideation, attempts, or self-harm in adolescents.
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