THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN ATTITUDES TOWARD SUICIDE AND SUICIDAL IDEATION IN ADOLESCENTS

The aims of this study were to determine whether adolescent attitudes to suicide could be grouped into distinct factors, and then to examine the relationship between these factors and the psychosocial parameter s known to be associated with suicide, and between attitudes towards s uicide and suicidal ideation. A questionnaire designed to assess attit udes to suicide was distributed to a total of 525 Israeli adolescents. Statistical analysis indicated that the attitude items could be group ed into four distinct factors: the right of society to prevent suicide ; suicide as a symptom of mental illness; the right of the individual to talk about suicide; and taking suicidal behaviour seriously. Each f actor was differentially associated with the various psychosocial para meters examined. The association between the attitude factors and subj ects' suicidal ideation was significant and at least as strong as that of the psychosocial parameters normally associated with adolescent su icide, namely gender and exposure to suicide. A generally approving at titude towards suicide was correlated with a high level of suicidal id eation.