Ecstasy use and suicidal behavior among adolescents: findings from a national survey

The relationship between ecstasy use and suicidal behavior among adolescents in the United States was examined. Data from the adolescent subsample (ages 12-17, N = 19,301) of the 2000 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse were used in the analyses. Information on adolescent substance use, suicidal behaviors, and related sociodemographic, family, and individual factors was obtained in the survey. The rate of past year suicide attempt among adolescents with lifetime ecstasy use was almost double that of adolescents who had used other drugs only, and nine times that of adolescents with no history of illicit drug use. In multinomial logistic regression analyses controlling for related factors, the effect of ecstasy use remained significant. Adolescent ecstasy users may require enhanced suicide prevention and intervention efforts.     

Alcohol use disorders and risk factor interactions for adolescent suicidal ideation and attempts.

Four hundred eighty-two adolescents who were diagnosed with at least one mental disorder were studied to determine the predictors of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. Major depression was predictive of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts for both genders. Chronic stress was found predictive of male suicidal ideation, while low self-esteem and high family dysfunction were found to be predictive of suicidal ideation in females. Statistical trends suggest that females with comorbid alcohol use/conduct disorder were approximately three times more likely to have attempted suicide than those with only one of these conditions. Clinicians working with adolescents should be aware that, while depression remains the number one clinical risk forsuicidal behavior, risk factors for suicidal ideation may be different than those for attempted suicide and may vary by gender.     

Gender differences in adolescent coping behaviors and suicidal ideation: findings from a sample of 73,238 adolescents

Suicide among adolescents is an emerging global public health problem as well as a socioeconomic problem. Stress-coping strategies have been shown to be associated with suicidal ideation. We examined coping behaviors related to suicidal ideation and gender differences in adolescents using the data from the 2010 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey (ages 12–19 years; N = 73,238). Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate associations between suicidal ideation and specific coping behaviors while controlling for potentially confounding variables. In both male and female groups, the coping behavior “drinking alcoholic beverages” and “smoking cigarettes” were positively associated with suicidal ideation. “Watching TV,” “playing online/mobile games,” and “sleeping” were negatively associated with suicidal ideation in both groups. In males, “engaging in sports” was negatively related to suicidal ideation. In females, “venting by talking to others” and “eating” were negatively related to suicidal ideation. The results indicate that there are gender differences in the effects of coping behaviors on adolescent suicidal ideation, and that developing adaptive coping strategies may function to reduce suicidality. Future studies are needed to examine whether improving coping skills can reduce suicidal ideation in a gender-specific manner.     

Prevalence and distribution of illicit drug use in the workforce and in the workplace: findings and implications from a U.S. national survey

This U.S. national study explored the overall prevalence, frequency, and distribution of illicit drug use in the workforce and in the workplace during the preceding 12 months. Illicit drug use in the workforce involved an estimated 14.1% of employed adults (17.7 million workers). Illicit drug use in the workplace involved an estimated 3.1% of employed adults (3.9 million workers). Illicit drug use in the workforce and in the workplace is not distributed uniformly in the employed population. At-risk, though circumscribed, segments of the U.S. workforce were identified with prevalence rates up to 55.8% for any use of illicit drugs and up to 28.0% for illicit drug use in the workplace. The implications of these data for future theoretical research and for management policy and practice are discussed.     

Immigration, suicidal ideation and deliberate self-injury in the Boston youth survey 2006

The prevalence and immigration-related correlates of deliberate self-injury (DSI) and suicidal ideation (SI) were estimated in a sample of Boston public high school students in 2006. Compared with U.S.-born youth, immigrant youth were not at increased risk for DSI or SI, even if they had experienced discrimination due to their ancestry. By contrast, U.S.-born youth who reported having been discriminated against because of their ancestry had an increased risk of deliberate self-injury (odds ratio [OR] = 3.1, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.6-5.9) and suicidal ideation (OR = 2.1, 95% CI = 1.2-3.8). The combination of being U.S.-born and experiencing ancestry-based discrimination identifies youth at increased risk for suicidal behavior.     

Subjective well-being and national satisfaction: findings from a worldwide survey

We examined the relationship between satisfaction with one's country (national satisfaction) and subjective well-being utilizing data from a representative worldwide poll. National satisfaction was a strong positive predictor of individual-level life satisfaction, and this relationship was moderated by household income, household conveniences, residential mobility, country gross domestic product per capita, and region (Western vs. non-Western country). When individuals are impoverished or more bound to their culture and surroundings, national satisfaction more strongly predicts life satisfaction. In contrast, reverse trends were found in analyses predicting life satisfaction from satisfaction in other domains (health, standard of living, and job). These patterns suggest that people are more likely to use proximate factors to judge life satisfaction where conditions are salutary, or individualism is salient, but are more likely to use perceived societal success to judge life satisfaction where life conditions are difficult, or collectivism predominates. Our findings invite new research directions and can inform quality-of-life therapies.     

Aspects of suicidal behavior, depression, and treatment in college students: results from the spring 2000 national college health assessment survey

The National College Health Assessment Survey (NCHA), sponsored by the American College Health Association, measured depression, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts among 15,977 college students in the academic year 1999-2000. Similar to the National College Health Risk Behavior Survey, conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 1995, 9.5% of students reported that they had seriously considered attempting suicide and 1.5% of students reported that they had attempted suicide within the last school year. The NCHA findings show a relationship between suicidal behavior and depressed mood. Depressed mood, difficulties of sexual identity, and problematic relationships all increase the likelihood of vulnerability to suicidal behavior. Less than 20% of students reporting suicidal ideation or attempts were receiving treatment.     

The relationship between pulmonary function and suicidal ideation in Korean adults: a nationwide survey

Controversy surrounds the association between lung function and mental health in the general population, and previous reported results were confounded by the effect of other chronic illnesses. This study aimed to investigate whether reduced lung function was related to mental health issues, taking into consideration the relevant potential confounders. We used data from the 2008–2013 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to examine the relationship between lung function and three mental issues (recognized stress, depressive mood, and suicidal ideation) among 22,068 Korean adults. A multiple logistic regression with adjustment for potential covariates including chronic illnesses revealed that a .5-L decrement of forced vital capacity increased the risk for suicidal ideation in both genders, but there was no significant association with recognized stress or depressive mood. We found an inverse relationship between lung function and suicidal ideation in the Korean general population.     

Feasibility of validating survey self-reports of mental health service use

Survey respondents may inaccurately report mental health service utilization for motivational and cognitive reasons. There is little evidence on accuracy of self-reports of mental health service use, and this evidence suggests that respondents tend to underreport inpatient utilization. This study addressed the question of self-report accuracy by comparing survey data from a large probability sample to data from computerized records of publicly funded mental health services. Few inaccuracies in self-reporting were detected. However, despite the use of data bases that were unusually appropriate for verifying self-reports, several problems limited the feasibility of validation. Suggestions are offered for increasing the feasibility of validation in future studies.     

Rumination and suicidal ideation: The moderating roles of hope and optimism

The current study aimed to investigate whether the correlation between rumination and suicidal ideation is moderated by the presence of hope and optimism. It was hypothesized that both hope and optimism would moderate (weaken) the relationship between rumination and suicidal ideation. Two hundred and ninety-eight participants completed self-report measures of hope, optimism, rumination (brooding and reflection), and depression. Results demonstrated that both hope and optimism weakened the relationship between rumination and suicidal ideation, as well as the relationships between both subscales of rumination and suicidal thinking. These results were found when controlling for symptoms of depression. Results suggest that a ruminative thinking style may be most harmful when an absence of hope or optimism is also present.     

Multiple protective and risk factors for drug use and abuse: cross-sectional and prospective findings.

A conceptual elaboration was developed that incorporates many risk and protective factors, and both direct and moderating (buffering) influences on drug involvement were tested. From prospective data, 14 factors related to drug use were selected and assigned empirically to either a multiple protective index (PFI) or a risk factor index (RFI). Analyses examined the relationships of the RFI, PFI, and their interaction on measures of cigarette, alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, and hard drug use cross-sectionally in late adolescence and later in young adulthood. These same variables were used to predict alcohol, cannabis, and cocaine abuse 8 years later. Vulnerability as measured by the RFI, PFI, and their interaction was highly associated with drug use in adolescence, moderately associated with certain types of drug use in young adulthood, and strongly associated with heightened drug problems in adulthood.     

Naturalistic evaluation of suicidal ideation: variability and relation to attempt status

Suicidal ideation has been thought to have a relatively stable course across weeks and months. However, daily changes in levels of ideation have not been adequately examined despite the importance of potential variability clinically and conceptually. For example, it has been suggested that variability in suicidal ideation may become less closely tied to variability in other mood symptoms (e.g., depression, hopelessness) among individuals with multiple suicide attempts. The present report had two related goals: (1) to prospectively evaluate suicidal ideation and related mood symptoms, and (2) to determine whether suicide attempt status predicted a decreased association between ideation and other mood symptoms. Non-clinical participants (N=108) with varying levels of suicidal ideation and number of previous suicide attempts completed the beck hopelessness scale (BHS), beck depression inventory (BDI), and suicide probability scale (SPS) every day for 4 weeks. Findings suggested considerable variability in suicidal ideation, especially for multiple attempters. Multiple attempt status predicted a decreased association between suicidal ideation and depression, although the results were only marginally significant. These findings have implications for conceptual models of suicide risk as well as assessment and treatment of suicidal individuals.     

Suicide ideation among recent immigrants to Israel from the former Soviet Union: an epidemiological survey of prevalence and risk factors

This paper reports results of a national community survey of self-reported suicide ideation and attempts and their relation to psychological distress, depression, social support, and adjustment difficulties in a sample of recent immigrants from the former Soviet Union (FSU) to Israel. Using a door-to-door sampling procedure, a sample of 788 Russian-born Jewish immigrants, ages 18-74 years, was selected to match the age and sex structure of the total immigrant population. An indigenous sample of Jews in Russia (n = 411) was matched with the immigrants for comparison. Parameters of interest were measured with the Demographic Inventory, Talbieh Brief Distress Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. The 1-month prevalence rate of suicide ideation in the immigrant sample (15.1%) was found to be significantly higher than that in Russian controls (6.6%). A total of 5.5% of immigrants but only 0.5% of controls had made a suicide attempt at some time in their lives. Risk factors for suicide ideation included younger age, living without a spouse, low level of social support, being a physician or teacher, a history of immigration from the Baltic countries or Moscow, or duration of stay in Israel from 2 to 3 years. The strongest risk factors were higher level of psychological distress and symptoms such as depression, hostility, and paranoid ideation. These findings can be used as a point of departure for the development of community-based suicide prevention programs for recent immigrants.     

Health-risk behaviors and suicidal ideation: a preliminary study of cognitive and developmental factors

Various theorists have suggested that unhealthy behaviors such as cigarette smoking and problem drinking may be subtle forms of suicidality. Consistent with this view, prior research has shown an association between health risk behaviors and suicidal ideation. In the present study we examined relationships among suicidal ideation, health-related attitudes and behaviors, and adverse childhood events. We hypothesized that unhealthy attitudes, perhaps shaped by adverse childhood events, would help explain the association between suicidal phenomena and unhealthy behaviors. Three-hundred eighteen college students completed surveys covering health risk behaviors, depression, suicidal ideation, and health-related attitudes. Results supported the hypothesized associations among these variables. However, contrary to our hypotheses, the association between suicidal ideation and health-compromising behaviors was limited largely to substance-related behaviors. Moreover, the association between suicidal ideation and health-related attitudes was mediated by depression. Adverse childhood events were associated with health-related attitudes, but this relationship was mediated by depression. These results are less suggestive of the notion of unhealthy behaviors as subtle suicidality than a model in which suicidality associates specifically with psychopathological states such as depression and substance abuse. Implications for treatment and prevention programs are discussed.     

Resilience to suicidal ideation in psychosis: Positive self-appraisals buffer the impact of hopelessness

Recent years have seen growing interest into concepts of resilience, but minimal research has explored resilience to suicide and none has investigated resilience to suicide amongst clinical groups. The current study aimed to examine whether a proposed resilience factor, positive self-appraisals of the ability to cope with emotions, difficult situations and the ability to gain social support, could buffer against the negative impact of hopelessness amongst individuals with psychosis-spectrum disorders when measured cross-sectionally. Seventy-seven participants with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders completed self-report measures of suicidal ideation, hopelessness and positive self-appraisals. Positive self-appraisals were found to moderate the association between hopelessness and suicidal ideation. For those reporting high levels of positive self-appraisals, increased levels of hopelessness were significantly less likely to lead to suicidality. These results provide cross-sectional evidence suggest that positive self-appraisals may buffer individuals with psychosis against the pernicious impact of a well known clinical risk factor, hopelessness. Accounting for positive self-appraisals may improve identification of individuals at high risk of suicidality, and may be an important area to target for suicide interventions.     

Spirituality and religiosity as predictors of depression and suicidal ideation: an exploratory study

In a sample of 149 undergraduate students, measures of religiosity and spirituality were positively associated with measures of depression, mania, and past suicidal ideation.     

Incidence of suicidal ideation and behavior in the United States, 1994.

Completed suicides reflect only a portion of the impact of suicidal behavior; sublethal behaviors cause morbidity and can signal treatable problems such as depression. There is no national quantification of nonlethal suicidal behaviors. The present study used a random-digit-dialed telephone survey to estimate the 12-month incidence of suicidal ideation, planning, and attempts among U.S. adults. Of 5,238 respondents, 5.6% (representing about 10.5 million persons) reported suicidal ideation, 2.7% (about 2.7 million) made a specific suicide plan, and 0.7% (about 700,000) made a suicide attempt (estimate = 1.1 million attempts). Hence, suicidal behaviors are not uncommon and occur along a continuum ranging from ideation to completed suicides. Preventing nonlethal precursor behaviors may prevent deaths.