And Life is Worth the Living Just Because He Lives?: The Protective and Promotive Role of Religious Involvement Against Suicide Risk Among Black Adolescents
Year: 2018
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth ages 12-17 years. Within a 10-year span from 2004-2014, 2,225 Black youth ages 10-19 died by suicide. Over a 35-year period suicide rates increased 126% in Black youth ages 15-19, and 233% in Black youth ages 10-14. Further, in 2015, a national survey reported that 14.5% of Black youth had serious thoughts of suicide in the past 12 months, 13.7% had made suicide plans, and 8.9% had attempted suicide. Related to this, national studies revealed high rates of suicide risk factors among young people including: depression or depressive symptoms (29.9% of youth); suicidal ideation (17.7% of youth); suicide attempts (8.6% of youth); psychiatric disorders such as anxiety (24.9% of youth); disruptive behavior disorders (16.3% of youth); and substance use disorders (8.3% of youth). Despite increased rates of suicide among Black youth, there is limited research on suicide risk and protective factors among Black youth. Importantly, religious involvement is a possible protective factor for Black youth, as it has been linked to more positive mental health outcomes among Black adults. This dissertation, comprised of two empirical studies, evaluates evidence regarding the promotive and protective effects of religious involvement against suicide risk among Black adolescents in the context of the relational risk factors of everyday discrimination (routine encounters with subtle, unfair treatment) and interpersonal problems (low social connectedness, bully victimization, and/or perpetration). Study 1 uses cross-sectional data from a nationally representative sample of African American and Caribbean Black youth to pursue three aims: 1) to examine the relation between discrimination and suicide risk factors (suicidal ideation, depression, anxiety, disruptive behavior disorders, and substance use disorders); 2) to examine the relation between religious involvement, specifically, private religious practices, religious (church-based) support, and organizational religiousness, and discrimination and suicide risk factors; and 3) to explore whether the relation between discrimination and suicide risk factors differs by gender or ethnicity. Study 2 uses data from a longitudinal study of a more selected sample of Black youth with interpersonal problems to pursue two aims: 1) to examine the prospective relation between religious involvement and depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation; and 2) to examine whether this relation differs over time and by gender. Exploring the protective role of religious involvement among Black youth who experience relational risk has important implications for reducing suicide risk among Black adolescents.
Author: Yasmin Cole-Lewis
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2941353663