Suicidal behavior in adolescents and intrafamilial and gender violence: a narrative review

Abstract

Objective This study is a narrative review to consider how intrafamilial and gender violence can engender psychological suffering and suicidal behavior in adolescents. Method The Portal de Periódicos Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde, and Scientific Electronic Library Online databases were searched for publications about risk factors for suicide attempts and suicidal ideation in adolescents, between 2010 and 2020. Results Intrafamilial violence was found to be a risk factor. Most suicide attempts occur between 15 and 19 years and are mainly due to drug intake. Gender violence, especially homophobia, is a risk factor for ideation and suicide attempts among adolescents, especially bisexual adolescents. Conclusion Interventions concerning sexual education in schools, promotion of spaces for dialogues about suicide, and modification of the binary bias in studies about adolescent sexualities are necessary.