Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Introduction
- 1 Adolescent Suicide: An Overview of the Epidemiology
- 2 Risk and Predisposing Factors in Adolescent Suicide
- 3 Emotional Problems and Adolescent Suicide
- 4 Adolescent Suicide: Cognitive Variables
- ADOLESCENT RISK-TAKING
- A MODEL OF SUICIDE AND RISK-TAKING
- AN EVALUATION OF THE S/RT MODEL
- 9 Depressed and Problem Behavior Adolescents
- 10 Suicide Attempters and Risk Takers
- 11 The Impact of Cognitive Variables as Mediators
- IMPLICATIONS FOR TREATMENT
- References
- Index
10 - Suicide Attempters and Risk Takers
from AN EVALUATION OF THE S/RT MODEL
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 03 September 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Introduction
- 1 Adolescent Suicide: An Overview of the Epidemiology
- 2 Risk and Predisposing Factors in Adolescent Suicide
- 3 Emotional Problems and Adolescent Suicide
- 4 Adolescent Suicide: Cognitive Variables
- ADOLESCENT RISK-TAKING
- A MODEL OF SUICIDE AND RISK-TAKING
- AN EVALUATION OF THE S/RT MODEL
- 9 Depressed and Problem Behavior Adolescents
- 10 Suicide Attempters and Risk Takers
- 11 The Impact of Cognitive Variables as Mediators
- IMPLICATIONS FOR TREATMENT
- References
- Index
Summary
In this chapter we turn our focus to the outcome behaviors – suicidal behaviors and serious risk-taking. This research tests whether these behaviors are related to the mediating constructs in our S/RT model (Figure 8.2). One of our aims was to find whether the cognitive mediating constructs might be useful as potential indicators of a trajectory toward suicidal behavior. If we can identify common deficits in the cognition of suicidal young people, it may be possible to target preventative programs more effectively in order to remediate these deficits. The same reasoning applies to serious risk-taking behaviors. The strategy is to compare suicidal and risk-taking adolescents with each other and with a comparison group of adolescents who do not show these behaviors.
Method
PARTICIPANTS AND GROUP ALLOCATION
All participation was voluntary and all participants received 20 dollars for their time. There were no indigenous Australians in these groups. Participants in the groups were recruited from a variety of sources: through consultant referral from a hospital; through referral from social workers in Juvenile Justice; through referral from psychologists and psychiatrists in private practice; and from a shelter for homeless youth.
Adolescents were interviewed individually, and they generally completed the questionnaires in a session of 1½ hours. In the course of data collection, it became apparent that several of the adolescents were unable to read and write and could not understand the questions even when they were read to them.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Out of OptionsA Cognitive Model of Adolescent Suicide and Risk-Taking, pp. 125 - 140Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2004