The long-lasting impact of adolescents' deviant friends on suicidality: a 3-year follow-up perspective.
BACKGROUND
During adolescence, friends are increasingly important for support and values. Do friends also have a long-term impact on suicidality? This study explored the role of friendship problems (e.g., social isolation) and deviant friends during late adolescence on suicidal ideation and behavior 3 years later.


METHODS
Participants were 295 community adolescents (59% Mexican-American; 41% European-American) from the United States. Information about their suicidal ideation and behavior, depression, friendship problems, and deviant friends was collected at baseline and at a 3-year follow-up.


RESULTS
Having deviant friends was a better predictor of suicidality than having friendship problems, with variability by sex and ethnicity. Having deviant friends predicted suicidal ideation among Mexican-American adolescents. Having friends who were disconnected from school was a risk factor for suicidal ideation among European-American adolescents but a protective factor for suicidal behavior among Mexican-American adolescents, especially boys. Depression played more of a mediating role between friendship factors and suicidality for European-American than for Mexican-American adolescents.


CONCLUSIONS
This study's findings suggest an influence of adolescents' deviant friends on suicidality 3 years later. They also call for the cultural and gender grounding of suicide theory, research and prevention.
Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, Oshkosh, WI, USA. winterre@uwosh.edu
Erin
E
Winterrowd
Silvia Sara
SS
Canetto
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D033062:Friends / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D017058:Mexican Americans / Q000523:psychology*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010379:Peer Group; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012307:Risk Factors; D012934:Social Isolation / Q000523:psychology; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology*