Protective factors for suicidal ideation among Black adolescents indirectly exposed to community violence

Objective Community violence exposure has been identified as a risk factor for Black youth suicide ideation. However, little is known about factors that protect community violence exposed youth against suicide ideation. The current study examined associations between knowledge of family member and peers’ community violence exposure and Black youth's subsequent suicidal ideation, and investigated self-worth and social support as protective factors. Method Participants were a community sample of Black youth (N = 447, 47.4% female; Mage = 11.77, SD = 0.35) who reported about community violence exposure, self-worth, social support, and suicide ideation in grades 6 and 7. Results Regression analyses revealed that grade 6 knowledge of family member and peers’ community violence exposure was associated with increases in suicide ideation assessed in grade 7. Self-worth attenuated the association between knowledge of others’ community violence exposure and suicide ideation for male adolescents. For female adolescents, social support attenuated the association between knowledge of others’ community violence and suicide ideation. Conclusions Findings highlight the consequential impact of knowledge about community violence for Black youth's suicidal ideation. Enhancing protective factors for Black youth is an important target for intervening with exposure to violence and reducing suicide ideation.