ADOLESCENT SUICIDAL BEHAVIORS AS A FUNCTION OF DEPRESSION, HOPELESSNESS, ALCOHOL-USE, AND SOCIAL SUPPORT - A LONGITUDINAL INVESTIGATION

Surveyed two high school cohorts (ns = 698 and 283) to study independe nt, prospective predictors of adolescent suicidal behaviors (thoughts, communication to others, attempts). Within each cohort, there were tw o measurements conducted 6 months apart. Structural equation models we re rested, with depressive symptoms, hopelessness, alcohol consumption social support, and gender serving as predictors. In the larger cohor t depression predicted later levels of all three suicidal behaviors co ntrolling for baseline suicidal behaviors. Also, suicidal thoughts pre dicted later communications, and suicide attempts predicted future tho ughts. In the smaller cohort, alcohol consumption predicted all three suicidal behaviors at the later measurement, whereas depression was pr edictive only of later thoughts. Major issues regarding prevention, th eories of suicide and negative affect, and methodological/analytical a pproaches were discussed.