Relationships between suicide risk, traumatic experiences, and substance use among juvenile detainees.
Youth suicide ideation in juvenile justice settings is a phenomenon with multiple determinants. This article examines relationships among determinants of suicidal ideation utilizing various screening instruments. Consecutive youth admitted to detention in Connecticut (N = 757) completed the Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument 2 (MAYSI-2), the Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire (SIQ), measures of substance use, and risk and protective factors for violence during intake screening. In bivariate and multivariate analyses (controlling for demographic and MAYSI-2 sub-scale scores), relationships were found between the Traumatic Experiences and Alcohol and Drug Use subscales of the MAYSI-2 and the SIQ. The potential impact of traumatic stress and substance use symptoms in understanding and detecting youths who are at risk for suicide is discussed.
Chapman
John F
JF
State of Connecticut Judicial Branch, Court Support Services Division, Westerfield, CT 06109, USA. John.Chapman@jud.ct.gov
Ford
Julian D
JD
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011329:Prisoners / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires