Citation

Jacobson BH, Cook DA, Moser BK, Aldana SG. J. Health Educ. 1992; 23(5): 282-285.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1992, American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance)

DOI

10.1080/10556699.1992.10610031

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to ascertain the degree of suicide ideation among 9th through 12th graders within a statewide region. Twenty-five schools were randomly selected from all state school districts and 549 students were surveyed (females n=290 and males n=259) following active parental consent. Parental consent, anonymity, and confidentiality was stressed orally and adhered to as stipulated by the University Human Subject Review Board. Additionally, confidentiality of the participating schools was maintained. Dependent variables (thinking about, seriously planning, attempting, and being treated for suicide) were calculated for the eight grade/gender combinations and analyzed separately using analysis of variance methods. The pooled error variance term was used as the denominator in all analysis of variance F tests.

RESULTS of the analysis revealed a significantly higher probability of 9th and 10th grade girls in thinking about, seriously planning, and attempting suicide. Further, all female respondents were significantly more likely than boys to think about and seriously plan suicide. Of those who had been treated by a medical attendant for attempted suicide, no significant difference between grades or genders existed. It was concluded that parents and professionals most near the potential suicide victim become familiar with state and national adolescent suicide norms and learn how to identify typical adolescent suicidal behavior. © 1992 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Language: en