Key Factors That Protect Against Health Risks in Youth: Further Evidence

The authors sought to test the consistency of the findings from the Add Health project that are related to the primary protective/risk factors in adolescents. Emotional distress & suicidality were 2 indicators that assessed adolescents’ emotional well-being. Overall, approximately 17% of the sample reported suicidal thoughts, whereas approximately 7% of the sample indicated they actually attempted suicide during the past 12 months. The family & school contexts of suicidality in adolescents are explored. (12 refs)