Suicide acceptability is related to suicide planning in U.S. adolescents and young adults

Suicide Life Threat Behav. 2007 Apr;37(2):165-78. doi: 10.1521/suli.2007.37.2.165.

Abstract

The association between adolescents' and young adults' attitudes toward suicide and their own suicidality across five racial-ethnic classifications was studied in a nationally representative sample of 3,301 youth ages 14 to 22 years from the National Annenberg Risk Survey of Youth. Results indicate that adolescents and young adults who most strongly believe that it is acceptable to end one's life are more than fourteen times more likely to make a plan to kill themselves as those who do not have such beliefs (p < .001). Future behavioral prevention and intervention research should take into consideration adolescents' and young adults' approval of suicide as a risk factor for taking their own lives.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Attitude to Death*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Intention*
  • Interviews as Topic
  • Male
  • Odds Ratio
  • Suicide / ethnology
  • Suicide Prevention*
  • United States