Analyses showed that adolescents who were older, had non-intact families, had fathers who were homemakers, had parents of a lower educational level, or had economically disadvantaged families, had a significantly higher level of suicidal ideation. Pearson correlation analyses showed that emotional competence, social problem solving, father-adolescent communication, mother-adolescent communication and family functioning were negatively related to adolescent suicidal ideation, while hopelessness was positively related to it. Regression analyses also showed that the above factors were significant predictors of adolescent suicidal ideation. / Based on a family ecological model, this study investigated personal factors (hopelessness, social problem solving, emotional competence) and family factors (parent-adolescent communication, family functioning) related to suicidal ideation among secondary school students in Hong Kong utilizing a cross-sectional survey design. A total of 5,928 self-administered questionnaires based on convenience sampling (male = 53.1%, female = 46.9%) were collected from 42 secondary schools on Hong Kong Island, in Kowloon and the New Territories. The participants were Form 1 to Form 4 students, with a mean age of 13.87. / The theoretical implications of the findings are that emotional competence, social problem solving, hopelessness, parent-adolescent communication and family functioning can be considered as key building blocks in the models of adolescent suicidal ideation. Practically speaking, enhancing emotional competence, social problem solving skills, sense of hope, quality of parent-adolescent communication and healthy family functioning with reference to the family ecological framework is important for preventing and treating adolescent suicidal ideation. Implications for policy development and social service delivery are further elaborated. In addition, limitations of the study are discussed and recommendations for further study are made. / Three types of causal models were tested in the study. In the direct effects model, hopelessness was the most important predictor among different correlates, followed by mother-adolescent communication, family functioning, social problem solving and father-adolescent communication, while emotional competence was the least important. In the mediating model, path analyses showed that hopelessness mediated the relationship between both personal and family correlates and adolescent suicidal ideation. In the moderating models, hierarchical regression analyses showed that mother-adolescent communication moderated the relationship between hopelessness and adolescent suicidal ideation. / "December 2007." / Adviser: Tan Lei Daniel Shek. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 69-08, Section: A, page: 3320. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 235-297). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract in English and Chionese. / School code: 1307.

Includes vita. / Title from PDF of title page. / Document formatted into pages; contains 126 pages. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of South Florida, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references. / Text (Electronic thesis) in PDF format. / ABSTRACT: Incidence of suicide has been shown to increase dramatically during adolescence. Despite an established pattern of depression and hopelessness leading to suicide in adults, no such pattern emerges in the adolescent literature. Recent investigations suggest that impulsivity may play a key role in adolescent suicide attempts. This study examined the role of impulsivity in adolescent suicidal gestures, as well as the relationships among demographic variables, anger expression, impulsivity, and suicidal behavior. A total of 100 participants (ages 11-17; 71 females and 29 males) were recruited from 2 inpatient crisis centers for children. The Children's Depression Inventory, Hopelessness Scale for Children, Adolescent Behavior Checklist, Pediatric Anger Expression Scale, and Suicide Intent Scale were administered to inpatients, and demographic information was obtained (age, gender, ethnicity, income, and structure of family). / ABSTRACT: It was hypothesized that patterns of depression, anger, hopelessness, and impulsivity would vary by age, gender, ethnicity, and suicidality (e.g., suicidal gesture vs. no gesture). The large majority of hypotheses were not supported. Results are explained in terms of alternative theories for the role of impulsivity in adolescent suicidal gestures. / System requirements: World Wide Web browser and PDF reader. / Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Thesis (M. A. (Clinical Psychology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2020 / Suicidal behaviour is a global health concern. The youth have been found to be at an exceptional risk in terms of suicidal behaviour due to a variety of problems that they encounter. Studies have been conducted to conceptualise suicidal behaviour. However, cultural aspects have often been neglected or marginalised. In Africa traditional healers play an important role in health care provision and the conceptualisation of problems encountered by the people. The present study was aimed at exploring how traditional healers conceptualise youth suicidal behaviour in Bakenberg, Limpopo Province. A qualitative exploratory method was utilised to execute the study. Study participants included ten traditional healers (six females and four males) aged between 35 and 85 years of age, who were selected using a snowball sampling method. A conversational method was used to collect data, employing semi-structured interview questions as a way of initiating conversations. The conversations were conducted in Sepedi and later translated into English. The study revealed that suicide is mainly understood to be multifaceted. Witchcraft, family problems, poor problem-solving skills, substance use, life difficulties and other secondary factors were all identified as central themes. The study revealed that suicide is a speciality within traditional healing, thus only those who are gifted and trained can assess or intervene. Ditaola (divination bones) and ancestral guidance were reported to be some of the means used to identify suicidal youth. The study also revealed that talk therapy (counselling) and herbal medicine „Molebatsa‟ were used as the main intervention methods. Herbal medicine is used as both a prevention and treatment of suicidal behaviour in youth. Thus it can prevent the occurrence of suicide or calm an individual who had a failed suicide attempt.

Thesis (MEd) -- Stellenbosch University, 1984. / In die loop van die afgelope aantal jare het die massamedia herhaaldelik - by wyse van koerantberigte, tydskrifartikels en aktualiteitsprogramme oor die radio en televisie - die verskynsel van selfmoord by volwassenes, adolessente en kinders onder die aandag gebring. Daar bestaan sterk aanduidings dat daar gedurende die afgelope aantal dekades wêreldwyd 'n beduidende toename in die voorkomssyfers van selfmoord en selfmoordpogings voorgekom het, en dat die syfers bo verwaging hoog kan wees.

This longitudinal study examined factors influencing the relationship between sustained partner violence and depression/suicidality among ethnically diverse, low income, community women. The sample at Wave 1 consisted of 303 African American, 273 Euro-American, and 260 Mexican American women in long term relationships with a household income less that twice the poverty threshold. There were no ethnic differences on frequency of partner violence, depression, or suicidality. The moderate relationship between partner violence and women's depression, confirmed previous findings. Frequency, but not recency, of violence predicted depression and suicidal ideation for African Americans and Mexican Americans, even after controlling for earlier depression or ideation. Recent violence did not predict Euro-American's depression or suicidality after controlling for initial scores. Causal and responsibility attributions for partners' violence did not mediate the relationship between violence and depression or suicidality in any ethnic group. However, African American women's attributions of global effects for violence mediated the relationship of violence on depression and suicidal ideation. Poverty level and marital status moderated the relationship between violence and the number of times women seriously considered and actually attempted suicide. Frequent violence was most lethal among the poorest women and marriage provided the least protection for women in the most violent relationships. Specifically, poverty status moderated violence on consideration of suicide for African Americans and Euro-Americans and suicide attempts among Mexican Americans. Marital status moderated partners' violence on suicidal ideation and attempts for Mexican Americans and consideration of suicide for Euro-Americans, but was not a moderator for African Americans' depression or suicidality. Women with different ethnic backgrounds appear to differ in the ways partner violence contributes to their depression and suicidality. Policy implications include the need to offer suicide intervention, particularly for low income women seeking services for violence. Mental health professionals should routinely inquire about partner violence when women present with depression or suicidality. Further, sensitivity to ethnic differences is recommended when confronting women's attributions regarding violence.

Kwan Chi-fai. / "June 2000." / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 248-265). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, MI : ProQuest Information and Learning Company, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / Abstracts in English and Chinese.

Department of Psychology, University of Newcastle. Bibliography: leaves 69-78.

published_or_final_version / Criminology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

The aim of this research was to test a series of theoretical models based on Beck (1967) cognitive diathesis-stress and Kwon and Oei (1994) linear mediational models as well as earlier research findings to determine the best-fitting model to explain the aetiological processes of suicide attempts in Taiwanese people. The participants were patients diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorders (MDD) recruited from three hospitals in Taiwan. They were used for data analyses in both cross-sectional (main) study and longitudinal (follow-up) study. In addition, a sample of students recruited from three universities in Taiwan was used for data analyses in the generalized study to examine the generalization of the results from clinical depressed patients to nonclinical university students. In the main study, by the application of structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques, four initial models were compared using the MDD patients (N = 162). The SEM analyses showed that two interactional models failed to provide an adequate fit to the given data, suggesting that the hypothesis of interaction between dysfunctional attitudes and negative life events in predicting the psychopathology of Taiwanese MDD patients was not supported. The SEM analyses supported two mediational models in terms of goodness-of-fit. Because the two mediational models were very similar, they were combined to form a combined mediational model. The SEM analyses indicated that the combined model provided an adequate fit to the given data. After modifying the model to improve its goodness-of-fit, the final modified combined mediational model was selected as the most appropriate in representing the data of Taiwanese MDD patients. The final model revealed that dysfunctional attitudes mediated the relationship between negative life events and depressive hopelessness, which in turn increased depression, which then precipitated suicidal ideation, which finally resulted in suicide attempts. In addition, it was found that negative life events exerted direct influences on depressive hopelessness and suicide attempts; sex and age exerted direct influences on negative life events. However, social support buffered the impact of negative life stress on dysfunctional attitudes and compliance with medications prevented the development of depression. In the follow-up study, the final modified combined mediational model was validated and reexamined with two-wave panel data gathered from the same population of Taiwanese MDD patients who participated in assessments twice, separated by a six-month interval (N = 142). The SEM analyses showed that the model provided an adequate fit to the two-wave panel data, suggesting that the model can be applied for predicting suicide attempts over six months in Taiwanese MDD patients. In the generalized study, the findings obtained from the MDD patients were replicated in a sample of Taiwanese university students (N = 324). Results revealed that the final modified combined mediational model failed to fit the given data. The result suggests that the most appropriate model for Taiwanese MDD patients can not be generalized to Taiwanese students. Some cautions and limitations should be noted. First, the models obtained from clinical and nonclinical people in Taiwan should not be directly generalized to people outside Taiwan. Further research using clinical and nonclinical samples from other countries to cross-validate the models was suggested. In addition, the researcher’s interventions during the follow-up period may disturb the relationship between predictor variables and subsequent suicide attempts. However, the problems appear to be unavoidable because of the research ethics of protecting participants from suicidal risk. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1339675 / Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of Adelaide, School of Psychology, 2008

This thesis is an investigation of social problem-solving skills, psychological distress, and supportive relationships among three distinct samples. The research groups comprise a) 25 depressed inpatients and a matched comparison group; b) 50 hospital admissions following an act of suicidal behaviour; and c) 5 sub-groups of incarcerated young offenders (inmates on Strict Suicidal Supervision, inmates on protection, victims of bullying, identified bullies, comparison group) with 25 inmates in each group. Data was collected by structured interviews, standardised psychometric measures of mood states (e.g. Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Beck Hopelessness Scale), problem-solving ability (e.g. Means-Ends Problem-Solving Procedure) and supportive relationships (e.g. Significant Others Scale). Data were analysed by means of parametric statistical techniques (e.g. analyses of variance and multiple regression analyses). Eight cross-sectional studies are reported. Depressed patients demonstrated problem-solving difficulties, which were related to the level of psychological distress experienced. Clinically depressed patients were also found to differ from a comparison group in their autobiographical memory recall and concentration ability - both of which were related to their impoverished problem-solving ability. Deficits in problem-solving ability in the depressed patients were not an artefact of their verbal IQ. Regression analyses of the data relating to suicidal community inpatients illustrated that social support variables were the prime predictors of suicidal intent, depression and hopelessness. Social problem-solving variables also emerged as significant predictors of psychological distress, albeit to a lesser extent. Social support and problem-solving variables were also important moderator variables in the relationship between stress and suicidality. The studies conducted with young offenders illustrated a hierarchy of problem-solving deficits and psychological distress among the inmate groups. Problem-solving ability was not an artefact of verbal IQ. The value of using problem-solving interventions with vulnerable offenders is discussed. The importance of prison relationships in the experience of stress by inmates was also highlighted. Similarly, parental relationships were related to the levels of distress experienced while incarcerated. The results of each study are discussed in relation to the relevant literature, practical implications for clinical interventions with each group, and suggestions for future research. The findings of the thesis are discussed in relationship to transactional, stress-hopelessness-distress models of psychological illness and distress.