Hopelessness and Suicidal Ideation Among Adolescents in Two Cultures

Overview

Journal J Child Psychol Psychiatry

Specialties Psychiatry
Psychology

Date 2005 Apr 12

PMID 15819645

Citations 16

Authors

Sunita Mahtani Stewart

Betsy D Kennard

Peter W H Lee

Taryn Mayes

Carroll Hughes

Graham Emslie

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: This study examines the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations among cognitive variables, depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation in Hong Kong Chinese and Caucasian American adolescents.

Methods: Community adolescents (n = 2,044) ages 14-18 years from Hong Kong and the United States provided information regarding their suicidal ideation, depressive symptoms, and cognitions (self-efficacy, cognitive errors and hopelessness), at two surveys, six months apart.

Results: Self-efficacy was a weak unique predictor of suicidal ideation in both cultures. Hopelessness was the strongest of cognitive variables in concurrent associations with suicidal ideation in bivariate and multivariate models, in both cultures, and in both boys and girls. Hopelessness continued to offer unique prediction when depressive symptoms were controlled, both concurrently and prospectively.

Conclusions: Our results support hopelessness theories of suicidal ideation and behavior in Hong Kong, and extend the cognitive theory of suicidality to a modernized Asian culture.

Citing Articles

Mental health of South Korean adolescents in the COVID-19 Era: Web-based survey focused on suicide-related factors.

Kim S, Jeong Y, Park H, Choi S Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health. 2023; 17(1):117.

PMID: 37833808 PMC: 10576356. DOI: 10.1186/s13034-023-00658-z.

Major depressive disorder as a risk factor for suicidal ideation for attendees of educational institutions: a meta-analysis and meta-regression.

Souza L, Pequeno Galvao L, Paiva H, de Azevedo-Marques Perico C, Ventriglio A, Torales J Rev Paul Pediatr. 2023; 41:e2021344.

PMID: 36921167 PMC: 10013990. DOI: 10.1590/1984-0462/2023/41/2021344.

Oral health practices and oral hygiene status as indicators of suicidal ideation among adolescents in Southwest Nigeria.

Folayan M, El Tantawi M, Oginni O, Oziegbe E, Mapayi B, Arowolo O PLoS One. 2021; 16(2):e0247073.

PMID: 33630858 PMC: 7906320. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0247073.

Emotion expressivity, suicidal ideation, and explanatory factors: Differences by Asian American subgroups compared with White emerging adults.

Polanco-Roman L, Ahmad K, Tigershtrom A, Jacobson C, Miranda R Cultur Divers Ethnic Minor Psychol. 2019; 30(1):11-21.

PMID: 31868380 PMC: 7308218. DOI: 10.1037/cdp0000313.

Hopelessness as a Predictor of Suicide Ideation in Depressed Male and Female Adolescent Youth.

Wolfe K, Nakonezny P, Owen V, Rial K, Moorehead A, Kennard B Suicide Life Threat Behav. 2017; 49(1):253-263.

PMID: 29267993 PMC: 6013307. DOI: 10.1111/sltb.12428.