Social Support and Suicide Ideation in Clinical and Community Adolescents

Background

In the United States, over 3 million adolescents report suicide ideation, and ~800,000 attempt suicide each year (CDC 2021). Social support has repeatedly been identified as a protective factor for suicide ideation in adolescent community samples. However, findings are mixed for adolescents in clinical samples. The current study examined associations between social support and suicide ideation in clinical and community adolescents with the intent to gain a comprehensive understanding of the potential buffering effects of social support.

Method

Sample 1 included 456 students from public middle and high schools, and Sample 2 included 100 adolescents from a children's crisis stabilization unit. A total of 47 (11%) participants in Sample 1 and 76 (78%) participants in Sample 2 reported lifetime suicide ideation.

Results

Both peer and parent support were significantly associated with lower lifetime suicide ideation severity in the community sample. However, no significant associations were found in the clinical sample.

Conclusions

Our findings highlight the importance of social support as a buffer for suicide ideation in adolescents in community settings. Results highlighted the need for additional interventions for adolescents in clinical settings.