Substance Abuse and Attempted Suicide: the Role of Perceived Birth Position in Adolescents

This study examines the relationship between psychological birth-order position (perceived, not numerical) & substance abuse & suicide in adolescents ranging in age from 12 to 18. The study includes 2 groups: a group of psychiatric inpatients being treated for attempted suicide or substance abuse, & a group of high school students. The authors found the patient group thought of themselves as inferior to their siblings significantly more often than the student group. (VM)