No abstract

While interpersonal relationships have been identified as playing a key role in the development of suicidal ideation and behavior, limited research has examined adolescent suicidality within the context of attachment relationships. The intent of the present study was to increase understanding of the role of attachment relationships in adolescents' experiences of becoming suicidal through an examination of the perceptions of those who have experienced the suicidal state. Fifty Canadian adolescents and young adults who were previously suicidal between the ages of 13 and 19 were interviewed, and a qualitative research design used for analysis.Three core categories were identified: parental insecurity, peer insecurity, and perceptions of self. Results are discussed within the context of attachment theory, providing a framework for therapeutic intervention strategies with suicidal adolescents.

This study examined how previously suicidal adolescents and emerging adults perceived their emotional experiences while being suicidal. Forty-one females and 9 males previously suicidal between the ages of 15 and 24 were interviewed. Qualitative data were analyzed using a grounded theory approach. Three major themes were identified in participants' perceptions of their emotional experiences: (a) overwhelming despair, (b) shame and self-loathing, and (c) alienation and personal isolation. These emotional states were viewed within the multidimensional process of responding to emotions. Participants' inability to deal with intense negative emotions appeared to be related to their suicidal state.