Using Path Analysis to Examine Adolescent Suicide Attempts, Life Satisfaction, and Health Risk Behavior

Abstract

This study determined if differences existed between four race/gender groups in regard to attempted suicide among a randomly selected, cross-sectional population of 4,565 public high school students in South Carolina. A modified Youth Risk Behavior Survey was designed to gather information on quality of life, life satisfaction, and six risk-behavior categories. Data first were analyzed using logistic regression analysis and subsequently analyzed using path analysis. Results suggest several independent variables (feelings of intimidation, alcohol and cocaine use, self-perceptions of mental health, self-perceptions of body weight, dieting practices, bulimic episodes, and physical and sexual abuse) were associated significantly (p < .01) with adolescent attempted suicide either directly or indirectly through mediating variables. Significant associations among risk behaviors, mediating variables, and self-reported attempted suicide varied across the four race/gender groups, indicating a need to further study differences noticed in each race/gender scheme.

Relationship Between Mental Disorders/Suicidality and Three Sexual Behaviors: Results from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication

“…Several possible mechanisms exist that could explain the relationship found in the current study between mental disorders and both early and past year sexual behavior. In general, these may include low self-esteem and a negative selfconcept which have overall been shown to be related both to engagement in sexual behaviors such as less condom use and more sexual partners, and to depression and suicidality in several countries (Boden & Horwood, 2006;Evans et al, 2005;Lejuez, Simmons, Aklin, Daughters, & Dvir, 2004;Sterk, Klein, & Elifson, 2004;Thatcher et al, 2002;Wild, Flisher, & Loombard, 2004). Additionally, a recent study in a Swedish sample found that individuals who engaged in high rates of ''impersonal sex'' (engaging in sex merely for the purpose of the act) were at increased likelihood of having ''adverse family backgrounds, a variety of negative health indicators, and dissatisfaction with life in general'' (Langstrom & Hanson, 2006, p. 49).…”

“…However, no relationship was found between these sexual behaviors and anxiety (Kessler et al, 1997;Lavan & Johnson, 2002;Ramrakha et al, 2000;Tubman et al, 2003). In relation to suicidality, abstinence has been identified as having an indirect protective effect on suicide attempts in Caucasian adolescents through its direct relation to other protective variables of attempts in a path analysis (Thatcher, Reininger, & Drane, 2002). Other studies have found the kinds of sexual behaviors mentioned above to be associated with increased suicidal behavior (Burge, Felts, Chenier, & Parrillo, 1995;Hallfors et al, 2004;King et al, 2001;Ogletree et al, 2001) in adolescent and young adult samples.…”

The Role of Social Support and Social Context on the Incidence of Attempted Suicide Among Adolescents Living in Extremely Impoverished Communities

“…Hopelessness and depression have been found to be positively associated with attempted suicide [8e10], often functioning as a mediating factor between the independent and dependent variables [11]. Similarly, Thatcher et al [12] found that increased levels of life satisfaction resulted in a decreased risk of suicide attempt among African-American adolescents.…”

Youth Life Satisfaction: A Review of the Literature

“…For example, a study by Valois et al (2004a) revealed negative associations between LS and poor mental health, poor mental/physical health days, serious suicide consideration, planning for suicide, attempted suicide, and suicide attempt requiring medical care among adolescents. In a related study, Thatcher et al (2002) reported that several independent variables were significantly associated with attempted suicide either directly or indirectly though antecedent and moderating variables. For example, for Caucasian males global LS moderated the relationship between the antecedent variables of threatened or harmed at school and duration of alcohol use and attempted suicide.…”

“…For example, for Caucasian males global LS moderated the relationship between the antecedent variables of threatened or harmed at school and duration of alcohol use and attempted suicide. Additional antecedent variables associated with global LS included: physical fighting, property stolen at school, using pills to loose weight, beating up the person you are dating, age of first alcohol use, use of marijuana at school, and exercise (Thatcher et al 2002).…”