Assets as predictors of suicide attempts in African American inner-city youths

Objective: To assess whether developmental assets and risk-taking behaviors , as measured by the Search Institute instrument, were related to attempted suicide in African American, inner-city youth. Methods: Survey of 336 Afri can American, inner-city youths. Results: Significant odds ratios were foun d for 4 asset questions and for 11 risk-taking behavior questions by attemp ted suicide behavior, The odds ratios ranged from 2.4 to 6.4 in magnitude. The percent of variation in suicide-attempt behavior explained by the asset questions (14.6% and 19.6%) was explained by the risk-taking behavior/high -risk behavior pattern questions. conclusions: The risk-taking behavior ite ms were better predictors of suicide behavior than were the developmental a sset items for the African American youth.