The cultural theory and model of suicide for youth (IN: Youth Suicide Prevention and Intervention, edited by J.P. Ackerman & L.M. Horowitz)

This chapter identifies key guidelines and opportunities for the incorporation of cultural considerations into youth suicide prevention, assessment, and intervention. Cultural factors and principles from the Cultural Theory and Model of Suicide (Chu et al., 2010) are extended to ethnic, gender, and sexual minority youth, to identify cultural factors that are more salient or more strongly related to suicide risk for youth populations. Research supports a downward extension of the Cultural Theory and Model of Suicide for minority youth, with its three theoretical principles and four factors of cultural sanctions, idioms of distress, minority stress, and social discord. Specific youth-related risk factors within these four factors are specified, including academic stress, family rejection, intergenerational conflict, and experiences of peer rejection, victimization, and bullying due to the youth’s minority identities. Integration of these key cultural factors is important for culturally responsive suicide prevention and practice across diverse youth populations. Best practices for infusing cultural considerations and suggestions for future research are highlighted.