ETHNOCULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN PREVALENCE OF ADOLESCENT SUICIDAL BEHAVIORS

Data from an ethnically diverse sample of middle school students (grad es 6-8; n = 5,423) are analyzed for ethnic differences in suicidal ide ation, thoughts about suicide in the past 2 weeks, suicide plans, and suicide attempts. Ideation was examined using a four-item scale and a single item on suicidal thoughts. Ideation was higher among females, o lder youths, and lower status youths. The same general pattern held fo r recent suicidal plans and attempts, with the exception of gender, wh ere the trend was for males to report more attempts. Lifetime plans an d attempts were higher for females, older youths, and lower status you ths. Data were sufficient to compare nine ethnic groups. Multivariate logistic regression analyses, adjusting for the effects of age, gender , and socioeconomic status, yielded significant odds ratios using the Angle group as the reference, for suicidal ideation for the Mexican (O R = 1.76, p <.001), Pakistani (OR = 2.0, p <.01), and Vietnamese (OR = 1.48, p <.05) American groups. For thoughts about suicide in the past 2 weeks, only Pakistani and Mixed Ancestry youths had elevated risk. For suicidal plans in the past 2 weeks, Mixed Ancestry youths (OR = 2. 02, p <.05) and Pakistani youths (OR = 3.20, p <.01) had elevated risk . For recent attempts, only the Pakistani American youths had elevated risk(OR = 3.19,p <.01). Future research needs to address whether thes e results hold in other ethnically diverse communities and, if so, wha t factors contribute to increased risk among some minority youth and n ot others.