Assessing African American Adolescents’ Risk for Suicide Attempts: Attachment Theory

This study evaluated various risk factors & the hypothesis that the threat of separation from a parent increases the risk of adolescent suicide attempts. A sample of adolescent suicide attempters & nonsuicidal controls were studied. It was found that the threat of separation from a parental figure, insomnia, neglect, substance abuse, suicidal ideation, & failing grades were the strongest predictors of suicide attempts. Unexpected findings included high levels of truancy, threatening others, & separation from a parent before the age of 12 among nonattempters. (34 refs.)