Teenagers' attitudes about coping strategies and help-seeking behavior for suicidality.
OBJECTIVE
To identify youths' attitudes about coping and help-seeking strategies for suicidal ideation/behavior and examine their demographic and clinical correlates.


METHODS
A self-report survey was completed by high school students (N = 2,419) in six New York State schools from 1998 through 2001. The relationship between suicide attitudes and gender, depression, substance problems, serious suicidal ideation/behavior, and first-hand experience with a suicidal peer was examined.


RESULTS
Two factors that approximate avoidance and approach coping responses, maladaptive coping strategies and help-seeking strategies, respectively, were identified. Boys scored higher than girls (t = 7.96, df = 2341, p < .001), and depressed youths (t = 15.56, df = 2323, p < .001), students with substance problems (t = 11.07, df = 2340, p < .001), and suicidal youths (t = 15.14, df = 2341, p < .001) scored significantly higher than their healthy counterparts on the maladaptive coping strategies factor. Students with first-hand experience with a suicidal peer scored significantly higher on the maladaptive coping strategies factor than those without this experience (t = 7.95, df = 2321, p < .001). Lower risk groups scored significantly higher on an adaptive help-seeking strategies factor.


CONCLUSIONS
High-risk adolescents' attitudes are characterized by core beliefs that support the use of maladaptive coping strategies in response to depression and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Targeting such attitudes is a recommended component of youth suicide prevention efforts.
Division of Child Psychiatry, Department of Epidemiology, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University, NY 10032, USA. gouldm@childpsych.columbia.edu
Madelyn S
MS
Gould
Drew
D
Velting
Marjorie
M
Kleinman
Christopher
C
Lucas
John Graham
JG
Thomas
Michelle
M
Chung
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D001290:Attitude; D015897:Comorbidity; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009518:New York / Q000453:epidemiology; D010379:Peer Group; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012944:Social Support; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000092864:Suicide Prevention