Abstract
Recent evidence suggesting that adolescent suicidality has increased over the past decade has emphasized the importance of
assessing contributory psychosocial risk factors. This present study has examined the association of family conflict and family
cohesion with adolescent suicidality. Data was collected from a multisite sample of 195 adolescent primary care patients using
the Family Environment Survey (FES) and the Scale for Suicidal Ideation (BSI). Results indicated that family cohesion was
significantly and inversely associated with suicidality (r = −.3904, p < .001) and that family conflict was significantly and positively associated with suicidality (r = .3899, p < .001). All (100 %) of the adolescents with BSI scores indicative of elevated risk for suicidal behavior reported above-median
levels of family conflict. Reports of suicidality were particularly elevated among adolescents who reported high family conflict
and low family cohesion. These findings suggest that it may be important to assess suicidality among adolescents reporting
high family conflict and low family cohesion.
assessing contributory psychosocial risk factors. This present study has examined the association of family conflict and family
cohesion with adolescent suicidality. Data was collected from a multisite sample of 195 adolescent primary care patients using
the Family Environment Survey (FES) and the Scale for Suicidal Ideation (BSI). Results indicated that family cohesion was
significantly and inversely associated with suicidality (r = −.3904, p < .001) and that family conflict was significantly and positively associated with suicidality (r = .3899, p < .001). All (100 %) of the adolescents with BSI scores indicative of elevated risk for suicidal behavior reported above-median
levels of family conflict. Reports of suicidality were particularly elevated among adolescents who reported high family conflict
and low family cohesion. These findings suggest that it may be important to assess suicidality among adolescents reporting
high family conflict and low family cohesion.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category ORIGINAL ARTICLE
- Pages 1-7
- DOI 10.1007/s10896-012-9443-3
- Authors
- Erica Miller, Department of Psychology, Teacher’s College, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Courtney McCullough, Department of Psychology, Psychology Building, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
- Jeffrey G. Johnson, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
- Journal Journal of Family Violence
- Online ISSN 1573-2851
- Print ISSN 0885-7482