title: Aggressive behaviors in early adolescence and subsequent suicidality among urban youths.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the association of aggressive behaviors during early adolescence with subsequent suicidality among inner-city males and females.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven hundred sixty nine African-American and Latino males and females were surveyed about their involvement in aggressive behaviors in 8th grade and again during 11th grade, when suicidality was assessed. Logistic regression was used to examine the influence of middle-school aggression on subsequent suicidality, controlling for demographic and social characteristics and 8th grade depressive symptoms and substance use. At 8th grade, 43% of males and 32% of females reported a recent fight, 33% of males and 19% of females carried a knife, 8% of males and 7% of females used a knife to cut or stab someone, and 15% of males and 4% of females carried a gun. At 11th grade, 24% of males and 29% of females scored high on suicidality, indicating suicidal thoughts, plans, or attempt.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Females scoring high on aggression were significantly more likely to report suicidality at 11th grade, controlling for demographic and social factors, early depressive symptoms, and substance use. For males, high depressive symptoms and substance use at 8th grade were related to suicidality, but not earlier aggressive behavior.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Urban girls who engage in physical aggression in middle school are at risk for subsequent inner-directed violence, including suicidal thoughts and behaviors. To address adolescents' mental health needs, attention must be paid to connections between externally and internally directed forms of violence over time, and whether warning signs of suicidality may differ by gender and require different intervention.
authors.affiliation: Education Development Center, Inc., Newton, Massachusetts 02458-7100, USA. LODonnnell@edc.org
authors.forename: Lydia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: O'Donnell
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stueve
authors.forename: Renée
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wilson-Simmons
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D000374:Aggression; D002648:Child; D003863:Depression; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology*; D014505:Urban Population; D014754:Violence