Family variables and their relation to adolescent suicidal ideation among a multi-racial sample of urban high school students

In a cross-sectional study, a stratified randomly selected sample of 120 sixteen year old adolescents were assessed for suicidal ideation. African-American, Hispanic, and White groups of forty male and female adolescents were chosen from three purposively selected urban high schools. The information was derived in an interview survey method, which included self-designed measures, the Beck Hopelessness Scale, the Hare Self-Esteem Scale (HSS), the F-COPES, and the Beck Scale of Suicide Ideation. Seventy-one percent of the adolescents admitted suicidal ideation with more females admitting than males. There was no significant difference in prevalence between ethnic groups. Levels of suicidal ideation, from lower to more serious levels of frequency, intensity, and level of intent to commit suicide, were derived and a significant correlation found between the reported more serious levels. Ten percent of the total sample reported suicide attempts, and 4% admitted a suicide attempt at the time of the reported suicide ideation. Twenty-three percent of the adolescents that admitted suicidal ideation reported their experience in preadolescence. The main multivariate analysis combined family, demographic, psychological, and behavioral characteristics in order to determine which family characteristics significantly contributed to the probability of admitted suicidal ideation when compared to the non ideators. Results indicated Gender, self-esteem, and drug use significantly contributed to the probability of admitted suicidal ideation. Probability profiles indicated that a female, with low self-esteem and using drugs had the highest probability of admitting suicidal ideation. None of the family variables significantly contributed. Four other multivariate analyses involved only the ideators in order to identify which family variables explained the variance in frequency and intensity, contributed to the probability of admitted suicidal ideation reported in preadolescence, and contributed to the probability of admitted suicidal ideation and suicide attempt. Gender significantly explained the variance within frequency. No variables were identified in the analyses of intensity and suicidal ideation reported in preadolescence. Gender and family coping skills significantly contributed to the probability of admitted suicidal ideation and suicide attempt. These findings are compared to those of others in the literature, and implications for further research and Social Work practice are discussed