Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death among American youth aged 5-24, and small and rural school districts must recognize and address this growing phenomenon. A survey of 462 Illinois principals reported 133 student suicides during the 5-year study period. Small school districts comprised 6 percent of Illinois school districts yet reported…

This report describes results from the 1995 Utah Youth Risk Behavior Survey of Utah's high school students and compares results to selected 1991 and 1993 results. The 76-item survey was identical to the national survey, though it omitted questions about sexual behavior. It examined unintentional and intentional injuries; tobacco, alcohol, and…

Contains nine articles focusing on prevention programs and school counseling. Topics addressed include educational alternatives for potential dropouts, childhood depression, suicide, and school vandalism. Describes programs facilitating adolescent development and for the prevention of delinquent behavior. Discusses the counselor's role in failure…

Describes the differences between Western and indigenous concepts of depression. Describes several culture-specific Indian depression syndromes. Notes the rising incidence of Native behavior. Describes several theories of depression etiology. Available from: White Cloud Center, Gaines Hall UOHSC, 840 Southwest Gaines Road, Portland, Oregon 97201.…

Developed an abbreviated version of a life attitude measure that could be easily administered in a variety of clinical and research settings. Psychometric properties of the short form were robust, and it correlated highly with the original measure. The measure found that boys reported more injury-related behaviors than girls. (RJM)

A case study of an academically gifted college student who committed suicide resulted in three sets of findings: those that reflected exclusively on the subject's life, those that compared his life with 3 previous psychological autopsies conducted, and those that reflected the parents' observations and experiences of his life. (Contains…

Surveyed administrators of 463 long-term care facilities concerning overt suicides and intentional life-threatening behaviors. Data revealed that White males were highest risk group. Refusal to eat, drink, or take medications were most common suicidal behaviors. Depression, loneliness, feelings of family rejection, and loss were significant…

Presents case summary of Cathy, a client who interacted with emergency services over two-year period. Marshall Knudson comments on crisis centers' overall capabilities of offering appropriate services to this type of client. Ronald Dyck concludes that center provided crisis-appropriate services to the client but suggests that centers may need to…

Examined the triggering effect of maritally related suicide stories in the mass media on monthly suicide rates of those involved in divorce or in marital distress. Support was found for this effect, independent of season and of changes in unemployment, but the unemployment rate was more closely associated with suicide than suicide stories in the…

Presents some explanations for the doubling of the young adult suicide rate since 1950. Analyzes the diagnoses and population groups that contribute the most to this increase. Groups that can be readily affected by suicide reduction measures are discussed, and methods for reducing suicide are proposed. (JPS)

Explores the use of manifest indicators to predict adolescents' suicide attempts. Manifest predictors in the categories of school, leisure, peer and parent relations, consumption, and contact with suicidal behavior identified those most at risk. Concludes that manifest predictors can complement psychiatric screenings by reducing the number to be…

Examines the relationship between adolescent drug use and suicide ideation and suicidal behavior for 3,064 high school students, who were respondents to the North Carolina Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Drug use, particularly of crack cocaine, is related to increased suicide ideation and suicidal behavior in this group. (SLD)

The U.S. family--the backbone of earlier societies--is rapidly degenerating, indicating the need for a social or educational agency surrogate for family caring and supervision. Time has demonstrated value-neutral education's devastating effects on our nation and our social interactions. Educators must help emerging adolescents form realistic…

Security of attachment and level of individuation from parents and peers was examined among 42 undergraduates with a history of suicidality, 42 undergraduates with depression, and 42 undergraduate controls. Suicidal students had the least security of attachment, the least degree of individuation, and the highest incidence of parental…

Both pragmatic and experimental approaches to studying adolescent suicide are applied in this study of a suicide prevention curriculum for eleventh graders. Pragmatic and experimental paradigms were both of value in addressing needs of these students and in making general knowledge available. (SLD)