Adolescent Suicide and Prevention

Robert Evans, Ed.D.

1. Multiple factors contribute, not just one. Of youths who die by suicide
Most (up to 90%) have a significant mental health or substance abuse problem or
both.
Of these, most have a mood disorder (notably, major depression or bipolar disorder).
A frequent contributor is serious parent-child discord (NOT just typical parent-teen
friction).
Other factors
o Problems at school or with friends
o Sexual or physical abuse
o Struggling with issues re: sexual identity
o Concussion (especially multiple concussions)
2. Vulnerability to suicidal behavior in adolescence can be transmitted in families two
ways
Via experience
o Adverse, highly dysfunctional environment
o Imitation of other family suicides
o Bereavement
Via heredity
o The mood disorders noted above
o Tendency toward impulsive aggression when frustrated or provoked
3. U.S. High school students self-report
17-24% seriously considered attempting suicide in the previous 12 months
14-18% made a plan about how they would attempt suicide
8-9% attempted suicide one or more times
2.7% made an attempt that caused injury, poisoning, or an overdose requiring
medical attention
Girls are more likely to report attempts, but boys are four times more likely to die
from suicide

4. Important grains of salt

The large majority of teens who are depressed, even those who have a mood
disorder, do NOT kill themselves; most learn to cope and live long lives, especially if
they receive good treatment
Schools can help support students and can modify students programs to help them
function, but can NOT treat mood disorders, substance abuse, or intense family
discord
Students do NOT kill themselves just because of too much homework or they got a
bad report card
From birth to high school graduation, students are in school barely 10% of their lives
5. Key protective factors
High parent-child warmth
Family cohesion
Consistent discipline
Parental monitoring: being available, not intrusive
Modeling the expression of feelings and that its OK to ask for help
6. Sources and further information
Centers for Disease Control:
https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/suicide-datasheet-a.pdf
National Institutes of Health:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2440417/
American Academy of Pediatrics:
http://www.dfcguide.org/docs/Teen%20Suicide,%20Mood%20Disorder%20and%20Dep
ression%20[english].pdf

Healthychildren.org. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthissues/conditions/emotional-problems/Pages/Teen-Suicide-Statistics.aspx