Gender-based Multilevel Analysis of Influential Factors for Suicide Attempts among At-risk Non-referred Adolescents in Korea
10.9758/cpn.2020.18.1.116
- Author:
Yumi LEE
1
;
Dayoung LEE
;
Hyun Ju HONG
Author Information
1. Hallym University Suicide and School Mental Health Institute, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital
- Publication Type:Original Article
- From:Clinical Psychopharmacology and Neuroscience
2020;18(1):116-126
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Objective:Effective suicide prevention for at-risk adolescents requires increased access to medical treatment. Investigating the unique characteristics of suicide in this vulnerable at-risk non-referred sample can contribute to establishing effective suicide prevention policies. This study aimed to (a) examine at-risk non-referred adolescents’ suicide attempt rate, (b) investigate influential multilevel factors in predicting these adolescents’ suicide attempts, and (c) compare the results of (a) and (b) by gender.
Methods:A total of 401 samples (216 boys and 185 girls) were recruited through a school-based mental health project for at-risk adolescents. Multivariate hierarchical logistic regression analyses were performed at the individual-, contextual-, and protective levels to evaluate three multilevel models as well as to investigate predictabilities for the overall group and by gender.
Results:The suicide attempt rate of the overall sample was 29.4% (boys: 18.1%, girls: 42.7%), which was significantly higher than that of community samples. For boys, individual-level predictors (depression and conduct problems) had the most significant contribution in predicting suicide attempts. In contrast, for girls, protective-level predictors (family satisfaction) contributed the most to the prediction of suicide attempts, followed by contextual-level predictors (academic grades).
Conclusion:This study is an important step in understanding the unique characteristics of at-risk non-referred adolescents who have not yet been considered in mental health policies. Improving medical accessibility will be the first step in establishing effective suicide prevention policies for these vulnerable samples.
