Head-injury prevalence among community college students.

835 community college students were surveyed to establish the prevalence of head injury or illness. Results are compared to prevalence rates among 4-year college students.     

A prospective investigation of suicidal ideation in college students: a test of a model

In order to test the predictive validity of a stress--vulnerability model of suicide ideation and behavior, a longitudinal study was conducted with college undergraduates. Based on previous research (Bonner & Rich, 1987; Rich & Bonner, 1987a), measures of social/emotional alienation, adaptive resources for living, and cognitive rigidity were taken at the beginning of the semester and combined to develop a vulnerability score. Then, at midterm, measures of midterm stress and cumulative negative life stress were obtained from the same subjects. It was hypothesized that the vulnerability factor would interact with midterm and negative life stress to predict suicide ideation. Instead of an interactive model, a linear, compensatory model of suicide ideation was found. The combination of alienation, deficient adaptive resources, and life stress best predicted ideation scores. Implications for research and theory are noted.     

Correlates of suicidal ideation among rural adolescents

This study examined potential predictors of suicidal ideation among a nonclinical, rural adolescent population. A sample of 76 male and female adolescents enrolled in a rural public high school completed a personal information form, a suicide information questionnaire, short forms of the Beck Depression Inventory and the Family Environment Scale, and the Life Events Checklist. A stepwise multiple regression suggested significant predictive relationships between magnitude of suicidal ideation and measures of family social climate (i.e., Organization, Conflict, Expressiveness, and Independence subscales from the Family Environment Scale--Short Form). Multivariate analyses of variance and a discriminant-function analysis revealed no significant sex differences.     

The relationships among gratitude,self‐esteem,depression, and suicidal ideation among undergraduate students

The main purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among gratitude, self‐esteem, depression, and suicidal ideation. In total, 814 undergraduate participants (259 males and 555 females with mean age of 20.13 years) completed four inventories measuring the variables of interest. Analyses of structural equation modeling found that gratitude had direct effects on individuals' self‐esteem, depression, and suicidal ideation. In addition, gratitude had indirect effects on individuals' suicidal ideation via self‐esteem and depression, and self‐esteem had direct effects on individuals' depression. These results support the proposed model of suicidal ideation and contribute to the understanding of how gratitude influences individuals' suicidal ideation via psychological and physical variables.     

Predicting suicidal ideation in high school students.

In a sample of 77 high school students, current suicidal ideation was predicted by depression, music preferences, and reasons for living scores.     

Toward a predictive model of suicidal ideation and behavior: some preliminary data in college students

Within a multivariate statistical design, the relationship of various interpersonal, emotional, and cognitive variables to suicidal ideation and behavior in college students was examined. A total of 158 subjects (58 males, 100 females) completed self-report measures of life stress, faulty cognitions, loneliness, depression, hopelessness, family cohesiveness, adaptive reasons for living, and suicidal ideation and behavior. The results of a multiple-regression analysis, forward-inclusion algorithm, indicated that a predictive equation consisting of loneliness, irrational beliefs, and low adaptive reasons for living best accounted for suicidal behavior scores. To determine the basic structures and power of the predictor variables under study, a factor analysis and composite regression were employed, resulting in a predictive equation consisting of three factors: Social/Emotional Alienation, Cognitive Distortions, and Deficient Adaptive Resources. Results are discussed in terms of an interactional model of suicidal behavior.     

Association of solitary binge drinking and suicidal behavior among emerging adult college students

[Correction Notice: An Erratum for this article was reported in Vol 26(3) of Psychology of Addictive Behaviors (see record 2012-13892-001). In the article, there is an error in the introductory paragraph. The number of students who had seriously considered attempting suicide in the Barrios, Everett, Simon, & Brener (2000) study should have been reported as 11.4%, not 1.4%. Additionally, in the Participants section, data for the study were collected from March 2009 to September 2010, not March 2009 to January 2010 as reported.] Emerging adult college students who binge drink in solitary contexts (i.e., while alone) experience greater depression and suicidal ideation than do students who only binge drink in social contexts, suggesting that they may be at greater risk for suicidal behavior. This study examined the association of a previous suicide attempt, one of the best predictors of future suicide attempts and suicide, and severity of recent suicidal ideation with drinking in solitary and social contexts. Participants were binge drinking, emerging adult (18- to 25-year-old) college students (N = 182) drawn from two studies of college drinkers. A logistic regression analysis revealed that both suicide attempt history and severity of suicidal ideation were significantly associated with a greater likelihood of being a solitary binge drinker as opposed to only a social binge drinker. Students with a previous suicide attempt were nearly four times more likely to be solitary binge drinkers. Multiple regression analyses revealed that suicide attempt history was significantly associated with greater frequency and quantity of drinking in solitary, but not social contexts. Suicidal ideation was significantly associated with drinks per solitary drinking day, but not frequency of solitary drinking once suicide attempt history was accounted for. Given the associations found between solitary binge drinking and a history of suicide attempts, as well as greater severity of recent suicidal ideation, it appears that these students are in need of suicide prevention efforts, including treatment efforts aimed at reducing binge drinking. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved).     

Adolescent suicidal ideation

Adolescent suicidal ideation and its relationship to other variables was tapped by a self-report questionnaire administered to 88 high school seniors. Eighteen percent responded positively to the statement "sometimes I feel suicidal." Those who reported suicidal ideation were found to differ from those who did not on a number of variables, including family relationships (quality of relationship with mother, intimacy with parents, and closeness to siblings), family history of depression (maternal depression), peer relations (quality of peer relationships, popularity, and number of friends), emotional well-being (happiness, anger, and depression), drug use (cigarettes, marijuana, and cocaine), and grade point average. Stepwise regression indicated that happiness explained 46% of the variance in suicidal ideation, and number of friends, anger, and marijuana use explained an additional 20%, for a total of 66% of the variance. While 34% of the variance remained unexplained, it is suggested that the questions used to measure these four variables be included in global screenings to identify adolescents at risk for suicidal ideation.     

Drop-in suicide prevention group decreases suicidal ideation among Veterans

This study examined the effectiveness of a weekly, drop-in therapy support group designed for Veterans identified at increased risk for suicide. Veterans were identified as at risk for suicide and referred to the group following hospitalization on the inpatient psychiatric unit after an increase in suicidal ideation (SI), presentation to a provider with SI with a plan, or having made a suicide attempt. An archival chart review was performed on 359 patients who were referred to the Coping, Understanding, Support, and Prevention Group from 2009 through 2011. Documented risk of suicide was collected from the chart including: frequency of inpatient psychiatric hospitalization, visits to the emergency department or mental health walk in clinic for SI, reported SI in clinical notes, consults resulting from calls to the Veteran’s Crisis Line, and assignment or removal of suicide risk behavior flags in the electronic medical record, for a period of 12 months prior to referral to the group and for a period of 12 months after referral to the group. Negative binomial regression models found that Veterans attending the support group showed a significantly greater reduction in frequency of endorsing SI post-referral compared to those who did not attend the group. Results imply that offering Veterans an ongoing therapeutic group format to give and receive support from peers also struggling with suicide risk factors is an effective way to reduce suicide-related thoughts.     

An empirical investigation of acculturative stress and ethnic identity as moderators for depression and suicidal ideation in college students

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships of acculturative stress and ethnic identity to depressive symptomatology and suicidal ideation in college students. The SAFE Acculturative Stress Scale, Multi-Group Ethnic Identity Measure, Beck Depression Inventory, and Beck Suicide Scale were administered to 452 college students. The authors found that acculturative stress and ethnic identity moderated the depression-suicide ideation relationship for African American but not European American college students. Given that vulnerability toward suicidal thoughts is increased for African American college students who report symptoms of depression accompanied by either high-acculturative stress or poor group identity, these culturally relevant factors should be included in protocol for suicide risk assessment.     

Testing a model of suicide ideation in college students

This study examined several risk factors-negative life events (NLE), hopelessness, and depressive symptoms-believed to commonly precipitate suicide ideation in college students. A total of 345 undergraduates participated in the study. Students completed four self-report questionnaires. Hierarchical regression analyses were used to construct a risk model of suicide ideation. This study confirmed depressive symptoms and hopelessness as predictors of suicide ideation in college students; however, NLE impacted suicidal thoughts through hopelessness and depressive symptoms. Interestingly, depressive symptoms exerted a stronger influence on suicide ideation than hopelessness. Hopelessness served as a partial mediator in the relationship between NLE and depressive symptoms; however, depressive symptoms fully mediated the relationship between NLE and hopelessness. Clinical implications for understanding suicide risk in college students are discussed.     

Self-discrepancy and suicidal ideation

The purpose of this study was to determine whether certain self-discrepancies predicted the extent to which individuals experienced suicidal ideation. The Selves Questionnaire (an idiographic measure of self-beliefs) was administered to 152 undergraduate participants, who also completed measures of hopelessness, depression, and suicidal ideation. Three kinds of self-discrepancies were associated with suicidal ideation: actual:ideal, actual:ought, and actual:ideal:future. Covariance structure analyses indicated a best-fitting model suggesting that, actual:ideal and actual:ideal:future self-discrepancies contribute to hopelessness, which in turn contributes to depression and suicidal ideation. The findings suggest that self-discrepancy, as a form of negative self-evaluation, may contribute to an individual's risk for suicidal ideation. Moreover, the findings point to an integration of self-discrepancy theory with hopelessness theory.     

The prevalence of suicidal behaviors among Northern Plains American Indians

This study examined the prevalence of suicidal behaviors among 1,638 Northern Plains American Indians ages 15-57. Age and gender patterns were investigated as was comorbidity with psychiatric and substance use disorders. Data from a population-based survey indicated that suicidal behaviors were more frequently reported among females than males and among younger respondents than older respondents. In addition, suicidal behaviors were associated with depressive disorders, PTSD, substance abuse/dependence, and violent ideation/aggression. Results underscore the importance of effective and acceptable alcohol, drug, and mental health services in reducing the rates of suicidal behaviors in American Indian communities.     

Examining a model of the relation between religiosity and suicidal ideation in a sample of African American and White college students

In this study, a model of certain aspects of religiosity, social support, and depressive symptomatology that would examine how African Americans may be, differentially, protected from suicide was proposed. Intrinsic religiosity was found to be negatively related to depressive symptoms which were positively related to suicide ideation in a sample of 459 college students. Though the model was expected to produce more robust results for African American compared to White students, we did not find this. Further investigation of religiosity and related phenomena (e.g., spirituality) are warranted across age, socioeconomic, and ethnic groups.     

Mother-blaming among college students

The purpose of this study was to examine the tendency for mother-blaming among college students to determine if such a bias existed outside the clinical profession. The subjects were 49 men and 50 women at a small private university, who were asked to attribute responsibility for 45 behavioral and personal-psychological problems to one of the following targets: Father, Individual, Mother, and Society. Analysis showed Individual receiving most attributions, followed by Society, Mother, and Father, in that order. Relatively more problems are blamed on Mother than on Father, with a tendency to blame mothers for emotional problems such as dependency and shyness and fathers for behavioral-physiological problems such as child abuse and alcoholism. Intercorrelations of the number of attributions made to different targets clearly suggest that there are parent-blamers, society-blamers, and individual-blamers. Implications of blame attribution for mental health are acknowledged.     

Trends in suicide ideation and suicidal behavior among high school students in the United States, 1991-1997

To examine trends in suicide ideation and behavior over time, the authors analyze data from nationally representative samples of between 10,904 and 16,296 students participating in the 1991, 1993, 1995, and 1997 Youth Risk Behavior Surveys. These data describe the proportion of United States students in grades 9 through 12 that reported having (1) seriously considered attempting suicide, (2) made a plan to attempt suicide, (3) attempted suicide, and (4) made an injurious suicide attempt. From 1991 to 1997, the percentage of students seriously considering suicide and the percentage that made a suicide plan showed significant linear decreases. However, the percentage of students that made an injurious suicide attempt showed a significant linear increase. These trends make it unlikely that relevant national health objectives for the year 2000 will be met. Additional efforts are needed to identify and disseminate strategies that effectively reduce suicidal thoughts and behaviors among adolescents.     

Gender differences in the psychosocial correlates of suicidal ideation among adolescents.

Gender differences in the psychosocial correlates of suicidal ideation were studied. A sample of 613 high school students (ages 14-19) completed measures of suicidal ideation, depression, hopelessness, life stress, loneliness, alcohol and drug use, and reasons for living. The results of a discriminant function analysis indicated that males reported higher loneliness and substance abuse scores than females whereas females reported greater suicidal ideation, depression, and reasons for living. The results of multiple regression analyses found that, although the same four variables, depression, hopelessness, substance abuse, and few reasons for living emerged as significant predictors of suicidal ideation in both samples, the predictive equation accounted for more of the variance in ideation scores in females (57%) than in males (46%). In a final analysis a discriminant function analysis of the subscales of the reasons for living inventory revealed that females have a greater fear of death and injury whereas males have a greater fear of social disapproval over having suicidal thoughts. This may account for the greater rate of suicide completing among males. Fear of social disapproval, more anger and impulsivity, and less help-seeking behavior among males are offered as potential variables to explain the observed gender differences.