Ethnocultural Differences in Prevalence of Adolescent Depression

Data from an ethnically diverse sample of middle school (Grades 6–8) students (n = 5,423) are analyzed for ethnic differences in major depression. The point prevalence of major depression was 8.4% without and 4.3% with impairment. Data were sufficient to calculate prevalences for nine ethnic groups. Prevalences adjusted for impairment ranged from 1.9% for youths of Chinese descent to 6.6% for those of Mexican decent. African and Mexican American youths had significantly higher crude rates of depression without impairment, but only the latter had significantly higher rates of depression with impairment. Multivariate (logistic regression) analyses, adjusting for the effects of age, gender, and socioeconomic status (SES), yielded significant odds ratios for only one group. Mexican American youths were at elevated risk for both depression without (OR = 1.74, p < .05) and depression with impairment (OR = 1.71, p < .05). There was no significant interaction of ethnicity and SES in relation to depression. Females had higher prevalences of depression with and without impairment, as did youths who reported that their SES was somewhat or much worse off than their peers. The data add to growing evidence that Mexican American youths are at increased risk of depression, and that community intervention efforts should specifically target this high-risk group.     

Suicidal Behaviors in the African American Community

This article reviews the risk and protective factors associated with suicidal thoughts and behaviors in the African American community. The authors provide a brief review of the history of suicide research in African American communities and critique some of the paradigms and underlying assumptions that have made it difficult to address the problem of suicidal behaviors in the African American community. The article also summarizes the articles that are presented in this special edition of the Journal of Black Psychology on suicidality in the African American community.     

Psychosocial Correlates of Suicidal Ideation in Adolescent Psychiatric Inpatients

The Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSI) was administered to 121 inpatients between 12 and 17 years old who were diagnosed with mixed psychiatric disorders. Twelve background and clinical characteristics, previously found to be associated with adolescent suicidal ideation, were entered into a multiple regression to estimate the BSI scores, along with the Beck Anxiety Inventory, the revised Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), and the Youth Self-Report. The BHS and the BDI were the only two variables that contributed unique variance to the explanation of the BSI scores.     

The Suicidal Adolescent and Special Services Providers

Issues related to adolescents at risk for suicide are discussed. An approach is offered to assist special services providers with early identification of adolescents who might be at risk for suicide. In this article, the approach is reflected as a set of 28 behavioral indicator guidelines. In addition, psychosocial characteristics of adolescents at risk for suicide are considered.     

A Note on Suicidal Behaviors among Intimates

ABSTRACT: This paper presents a breif report of four (of 62) cases in which a relative or intimate friend made a suicide attempt within a month of the significant other's suicide, usually using a similar method.     

Adolescent Suicidal Ideation Subgroups and their Association with Suicidal Plans and Attempts in Young Adulthood

Suicidal ideation during adolescence is quite common. Longitudinal ideation patterns may predict adolescents at greatest risk of progressing to more serious suicidal behaviors. We enumerated suicidal ideation trajectory subgroups and estimated subgroup association with later suicidal plans and attempts using data collected across a 13‐year period from 552 Caucasian adolescents. Three subgroups were found: non‐ideators (no ideation), decreasers (ideation decreased), and increasers (ideation persisted or increased). Probability of planning a suicide was greatest among increasers (females: .54, males: 51, p < .01). Probability of attempting suicide was greatest among male decreasers (.36, p < .01) and female increasers (.25, p < .01).     

The Prevention of Suicidal Behaviors: An Overview

The authors discuss the development of the concept of prevention as it has evolved from the public health and mental health fields. Concepts of epidemiology, treatment, and community mental health are defined in terms of their contributions to the evolution of prevention thinking. Four models of prevention are presented and critiqued: the public health model, the operational model, the antecedent conditions model, and the injury control model. Essential ingredients for implementing effective preventive interventions are presented, as well as examples of practical preventive interventions.     

Adolescent Perceptions of Parental Behaviors,Adolescent Self-Esteem,and Adolescent Depressed Mood

Using symbolic interaction, we developed a research model that proposed adolescent perceptions of parental support and psychological control would be related to adolescent depressed mood directly and indirectly through self-esteem. We tested the model using self-report questionnaire data from 161 adolescents living with both of their biological parents. To examine possible gender of adolescent differences, we tested two multigroup models separately for adolescents’ perceptions of mothers’ and fathers’ parental behaviors. Both the fathers’ and mothers’ models yielded (a) direct paths from self-esteem to depressed mood (for boys and girls), psychological control to depressed mood (for boys) and (b) an indirect path from support to self-esteem to depressed mood (for girls and boys) and an indirect path from psychological control to self-esteem to depressed mood (for girls). In addition, in the fathers’ model a significant direct path was found between fathers’ support and depressed mood (for girls).     

A Prospective Study of Adolescent Suicidal Behavior Following Hospitalization

Identification of factors associated with adolescent suicidal behavior following psychiatric hospitalization would facilitate development of effective aftercare interventions. This prospective study identified specific predictors of suicidal behavior in 100 adolescents during a 6-month follow-up period. Standardized baseline assessments and structured follow-up telephone interviews were conducted with adolescents and their guardians. Eighteen percent of adolescents reported suicidal behavior during the follow-up period, primarily of low medical lethality and minimal or ambivalent suicidal intent. This behavior was associated with suicidal thoughts, family dysfunction, and dysthymia. It was not associated with initial posthospitalization treatment compliance. Implications of these findings are discussed.     

Peer Victimization and Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors in Depressed Adolescents

Suicide is a leading cause of death among youth worldwide, and depressed adolescents are at a significantly elevated risk to report suicidal ideation, planning, and attempts. Peer victimization is a robust predictor of adolescent suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs), but little research has focused on why bullying leads to suicidal thoughts and behaviors. To address this empirical gap, we recruited 340 (246 female) depressed adolescents ages 13–19 (M = 15.59, SD = 1.41) within 48 h of admission for acute psychiatric treatment. At the initial assessment, participants were administered clinical interviews characterizing psychopathology, nonsuicidal self-injury, and STBs (ideation, plans, and attempts). Further, they completed questionnaires assessing 3 forms of victimization (overt, relational, and reputational), recent risky behavior engagement, and psychiatric symptom severity. Controlling for internalizing symptoms and age, overt and reputational bullying were associated with more frequent past month suicide attempts, but not suicide ideation. Past month risky behavior engagement, but not NSSI, mediated the relation between victimization and attempts. However, sex differences revealed that this effect only held for males whereas bullying was directly associated with suicide attempts among females. In contrast, overt and relational bullying were non-linearly associated with suicide plans, and these relations were not mediated by risky behaviors or NSSI. Results highlight the complex network of factors that lead victimized adolescents to engage in STBs and may inform targeted suicide prevention and intervention programs.     

父母监控与青少年的问题行为

从北京市两所普通中学选取了1090名中学生为被试,采用问卷调查的方式,要求他们分别报告父亲和母亲的主、客观监控水平和监控手段,以及自己的问题行为,以探讨父母监控与青少年问题行为之间的关系。结果表明:(1)客观监控水平越高,青少年的问题行为越少;而主观监控水平的作用却与此相反;(2)父母客观监控水平高而主观监控水平低的青少年表现的问题行为最少;(3)沟通和控制可以起到积极的监控作用,而搜寻的作用相对较弱,并且父亲使用搜寻手段还会增加青少年的违法行为;母亲搜寻手段的使用也只是对男生有一定的影响。     

Age Differences in Adolescent Body Satisfaction

The purpose of this study was to explore differences in body satisfaction among female adolescents 14 to 18 years of age. Principal components analysis of a body cathexis measure completed by 751 high school cheerleaders indicated that six factors defined the adolescents' attitudes toward their bodies: satisfaction with the midsection and overall appearance, peripheral body parts, hair and face, mouth, hands, and height. An Age x Body Satisfaction multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was conducted; a Bonferroni adjusted alpha of .007 was established for subsequent ANOVAs. Satisfaction with the mouth increased significantly as age increased, and a similar but nonsignificant trend was found for peripheral body parts. The findings contradict previous research reporting no age differences in the body satisfaction of adolescents. Role demands and physical maturation of the cheerleaders may explain differences based on age.     

Aggression and the Risk for Suicidal Behaviors among Children

Two subtypes of aggression—reactive and proactive—were examined to see how they relate to suicidal behaviors among young children admitted for acute psychiatric inpatient care. The children and their parents completed self‐report questionnaires/interviews. Regression analyses revealed that depressed girls who scored higher on reactive aggression reported more suicidal behaviors; whereas proactive aggression did not relate to suicidal behaviors for either boys or girls.     

Racial Differences in Adolescent Coping and Self-Esteem

Racial differences in coping strategies and self-esteem were examined for 361 male and female adolescents in Grades 7–12. Coping strategies were assessed with the Adolescent Coping Orientation for Problem Experiences (J. M. Patterson & H. I. McCubbin, 1986). Self-esteem was assessed by the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory (S. Coopersmith, 1987). Multivariate analysis revealed racial differences in adolescent coping strategies of ventilating feelings, seeking diversions, developing self-reliance, avoiding problems, seeking spiritual support, investing in close friends, engaging in demanding activities, solving family problems, and relaxing. In particular, African American adolescents reported using diversions, self-reliance, spiritual support, close friends, demanding activities, family problems, and relaxation more frequently than Caucasian adolescents did. Implications for professionals and recommendations for future research are discussed.     

Cognitive Socialization Across Ethnocultural Contexts: Literacy and Cultural Differences in Intellectual Performance and Parent-Child Interaction

A comparative study of parent-child interaction and its relation to children's intellectual achievement is presented. The question of cultural continuities in cognitive development was examined. The cross-national design also illustrates some of the problems encountered when such relationships are studied across social contexts in general. The results suggest that although interaction characteristics are related to children's intellectual achievement, that relation is moderated by context factors that may operate differently in each culture. The findings are discussed in terms of how literacy mediates parents' teaching styles in ways that remain culturally ingrained. Research issues and recommendations for future research and policy are discussed.     

Ethnocultural Influences in Cancer

Compelling evidence that ethnicity is associated with serious disparities in cancer morbidity and mortality has been documented in the medical and public health literature. In addition to the role that socioeconomic variables play in affecting cancer outcomes, health professionals are beginning to pay attention to the influence of ethnicity and culture. This paper examines the role that ethnocultural factors contribute to cancer, with particular attention to breast, cervical, prostate, and colorectal cancers. Young and Zane's adaptation of a process oriented model of how culture and ethnicity affect disease is proposed as a useful framework to understand the illness experience. It is suggested that attending to ethnocultural issues will assist health providers and researchers toward developing and implementing strategies to improve cancer outcomes among ethnic populations.     

Similarities and Differences Between Younger and Older Suicidal People

More younger people attempt and more older people commit suicide, but the bulk of research and treatment activities, presumably by younger professionals, is devoted to the younger suicidal population. In this paper, both younger and older suicidal patients were compared for age differences, age similarities, and the relationships between generations. Examples are presented of the precipitants and family determinants that were most frequently associated with suicidal behavior, with a discussion of their theoretical and clinical implications. The precipitants were based upon developmental tasks and crises which differ with age, while the family determinants were similar at all ages. Families also played a major role in the origin, outcome, and healing of a suicidal state. To a great extent, the steps leading to a self-destructive episode occurred outside of awareness. The examples illustrated both the typical and the unusual experiences that take place during the treatment of suicidal individuals, often involving the therapist in emotional, dramatic, and moving situations.