Family and personal factors influencing adolescent suicide risk behaviors.

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

The study purpose was to estimate a specified explanatory model of adolescent suicide risk behaviors (SRB). Four family factors-family strain, perceived family problems, amount/availability of family support, and parent involvement—were posited to have direct and indirect effects on adolescent SRB through four personal mediators—anger/aggression, emotional distress, personal competency, and drug involvement. A cross-sectional design was used to test the hypothesized model with 1,084 potential high school dropouts aged 14–19 years. Structural equation modeling was used for the major analyses.
The final structural equation model had a good fit to the data (NNFI = .925; RMSEA = .046). Overall, 50% of the variance in adolescent SRB was explained. Moreover, this model was equivalent across gender. The results showed that three personal mediators (emotional distress, personal competency, and drug involvement) directly influenced levels of adolescent SRB. Family strain indirectly influenced SRB through adolescent personal competency. The effect of family problems on SRB was mediated through emotional distress and drug involvement. Amount/availability of support influenced adolescent emotional distress, but had no effect on personal competency, drug involvement, or SRB. Parent involvement had no effect on any of the personal mediators or SRB.
The study is limited by the cross-sectional design, and by one specific population of high-risk youth: potential high school dropouts. Strengths of the study are the large random sample; comprehensive, reliable and valid measurement of the study dimensions; and the structural equation modeling analytic procedures. Despite the study limitations, additional evidence of individual factors influencing SRB was provided. Further, it was shown that family strain and perceived family problems indirectly influenced SRB through the adolescents' levels of emotional distress, personal competency and drug involvement. Recommendations for future theory-testing research include study replications using longitudinal study designs with panel data and repeated measures among potential high school dropouts, a general youth population and other high-risk groups of youth. Implications for indicated prevention programming and research aimed at reducing SRB include individual and family-based approaches designed to increase adolescents' personal competency, address how to cope with family problems, and reduce family strain and the adolescents' emotional distress and drug involvement.