ERIC Number: EJ1461660
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023-Jun
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1866-2625
EISSN: EISSN-1866-2633
Available Date: 2022-11-23
Suicidal Behaviors in Early Adolescence: The Interaction between School Connectedness and Mental Health
Danielle R. Eugene1; Cristin Blalock1; Juterh Nmah2; Philip Baiden1
School Mental Health, v15 n2 p444-455 2023
Previous research has identified mental health symptoms such as depression and aggression as contributing factors associated with suicidal ideation and attempts in adolescence. However, much of this work has focused on older adolescents (ages > 14) resulting in a dearth of knowledge about early adolescents under 12 years. Moreover, much less is known about school connectedness as a protective factor in the relationship between mental health symptoms and suicidal behaviors. This study examined the interaction effect between school connectedness and mental health symptoms on suicidal behaviors among early adolescents aged 9-12 years. Data were drawn from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study and yielded an analytic sample (n = 2826) that was majority male (52%), Black (53%), and with an average age of 9.3 years. Data were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression. Among participants, 2% experienced suicidal ideation, and 2% experienced suicide attempts. Black adolescents were more than five times more likely to experience a suicide attempt compared to their White peers (AOR = 5.37; 95% CI = 1.71-16.95; p = 0.004). There was a significant interaction effect between withdrawn depressed symptoms and school connectedness (AOR = 0.95; 95% CI = 0.91-98; p = 0.006), and between aggressive behavior and school connectedness (AOR = 1.02; 95% CI = 1.01-1.03; p = 0.001) on suicide attempts. School connectedness did not moderate the relationship between mental health symptoms and suicidal ideation. The findings have important practical implications, which are discussed.
Descriptors: Mental Disorders, Preadolescents, Sense of Belonging, Student School Relationship, Mental Health, Suicide, Racial Differences, Depression (Psychology), Aggression, Well Being, African Americans, Whites
Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link-springer-com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: 1University of Texas at Arlington, School of Social Work, Arlington, USA; 2California State University, School of Social Sciences and Education, Bakersfield, USA