Year: 1999 Source: Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, v.38, no.11, (November 1999), p.1433-1441 SIEC No: 20060037

A community survey examined suicidal ideation & attempts, behaviour problems, psychological distress, social support, & adjustment difficulties in a sample of Israeli adolescents. 406 Russian-born Jewish immigrants were compared to 203 Jewish adolescents in Russia & 104 in Israel. The 6-month prevalence rate of suicidal ideation in the immigrant sample was significantly higher than that for Russian controls but not for Israeli natives. There were few gender differences in ideation or attempts. Suicide ideators scored significantly higher on all scales of psychological distress & behaviour problems. Results support the migration-covergence hypothesis of suicide risk among adolescents. (34 refs.)