TY - JOUR
T1 - Suicidal behavior among homeless and runaway adolescents
AU - Yoder, Kevin A.
AU - Hoyt, Dan R.
AU - Whitbeck, Les B.
N1 - Funding Information:
1Ph.D. candidate, Department of Sociology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa. Received M.S. in statistics from Iowa State University. Research interests include adolescent suicide, family sociology, and statistical methodology. To whom correspondence should be addressed at Department of Sociology, Iowa State University, Center for Family Research on Rural Mental Health, 2625 North Loop, Suite 500, Ames, Iowa 50010-8296; e-mail: [email protected] 2Associate professor, Department of Sociology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa. Received Ph.D. in sociology, University of Nebraska. Research interests include homeless and runaway youth. Coprincipal investigator on the Midwest Homeless and Runaway Adolescent Project, which is supported by the National Institute of Mental Health (MH50140). 3Professor, Department of Sociology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa. Received Ph.D. in sociology, Washington State University. Research interests include homeless and runaway youth. Principal investigator on the Midwest Homeless and Runaway Adolescent Project.
PY - 1998/12
Y1 - 1998/12
N2 - The present study considered risk factors associated with suicidal ideation and the likelihood of a suicide attempt in a sample of 297 homeless and runaway youth from four Midwestern states. It was hypothesized that sociodemographic characteristics, family factors, suicide exposure, street factors, externalizing behavior, and internalizing behavior would be related to suicidal ideation and to the likelihood of a suicide attempt. It was also hypothesized that suicidal ideation would mediate the relationship between the other predictor variables and the likelihood of a suicide attempt. Over half the sample (53.9%) endorsed some level of suicidal ideation, and over one quarter (26.3%) attempted suicide in the year prior to the interview. Univariate and multivariate results indicated that sexual abuse by a family member, knowing a friend who attempted suicide, drug abuse, and internalization were highly related to suicidal ideation. In the absence of suicidal ideation, sexual abuse, sexual victimization while on their own, and internalization were highly related to the likelihood of a suicide attempt. Finally, the hypothesized mediating effect was found for both sexual abuse and internalization.
AB - The present study considered risk factors associated with suicidal ideation and the likelihood of a suicide attempt in a sample of 297 homeless and runaway youth from four Midwestern states. It was hypothesized that sociodemographic characteristics, family factors, suicide exposure, street factors, externalizing behavior, and internalizing behavior would be related to suicidal ideation and to the likelihood of a suicide attempt. It was also hypothesized that suicidal ideation would mediate the relationship between the other predictor variables and the likelihood of a suicide attempt. Over half the sample (53.9%) endorsed some level of suicidal ideation, and over one quarter (26.3%) attempted suicide in the year prior to the interview. Univariate and multivariate results indicated that sexual abuse by a family member, knowing a friend who attempted suicide, drug abuse, and internalization were highly related to suicidal ideation. In the absence of suicidal ideation, sexual abuse, sexual victimization while on their own, and internalization were highly related to the likelihood of a suicide attempt. Finally, the hypothesized mediating effect was found for both sexual abuse and internalization.
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U2 - 10.1023/A:1022813916476
DO - 10.1023/A:1022813916476
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0032265225
SN - 0047-2891
VL - 27
SP - 753
EP - 771
JO - Journal of Youth and Adolescence
JF - Journal of Youth and Adolescence
IS - 6
ER -