The moderated mediating effect of community integration in depressive symptoms which are related to childhood adversity and suicide attempts by adolescents who have dropped out of school

The aim of this study was to verify the moderated mediating effect of community integration on the influence of childhood adversity on suicide attempts in adolescent who have dropped out of school and examine the mediating effect of depressive symptoms. This study used the data of the first year from a Longitudinal Survey and Support Plan for Dropouts in 2013. Among 776 respondents, 685 (mean age = 18.04, SD = 0.78) participants were included in the final analysis. The results of this study showed that both childhood adversity and depressive symptoms were positively associated with suicide attempts. Depressive symptoms mediate the relationship between childhood adversity and suicide attempts. In particular, the mediating effect of depression on the influence of childhood adversity on suicide attempts was moderated by community integration. The results of this study suggest that help from counselors and social workers at a national level is needed to strengthen social ties between out-of-school youth and community members to prevent suicide among youth who have dropped out of school.