Risk factors for suicidal behavior: Psychosocial risk models with Turkish adolescents

• Sevim Terzi-Unsal

  Dicle University

• Emine Gul Kapci

  Ankara University

In this study we tested 3 different suicide models for adolescents residing in a Turkish City, Batman. A total of 605 adolescents from 5 different high schools participated in this study and completed a psychosocial variables form (developed for this study), the Offer Self-Image Questionnaire (Offer, Ostrov, Howard, & Dolan, 1989, adapted by Sahin 1993), the Adolescence Life Events Questionnaire (Kapci & Terzi-Unsal, 2001), the Piers-Harris Self-Worth Scale for Children (Harris & Piers, 1969, adapted by Catakli & Oner, 1996), the Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire (Linehan & Nielsen, 1981, adapted by Bayam, Dilbaz, Bitlis, Holat, & Tuzer, 1995), the Beck Hopelessness Scale (Beck, Weissman, Lester, & Trexler, 1974, adapted by Durak, 1994), the Suicide Ideation Questionnaire (Dilbaz, Holat, Bayam, Tuzer, & Bitlis, 1995), the Brief Symptom Inventory (Derogatis, 1992, adapted by Sabin & Durak, 1994) and the Multidimensional Scale for Perceived Social Support (Zimmet, Dahlen, Zimmet, & Farley, 1998, adapted by Eker & Arkar, 1995). Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling and the findings suggest that adolescent life events, psychosocial variables, social support, and self-image are secondary risk factors for adolescent suicides, predicting self-worth, psychological health, and hopelessness. These variables, in turn, predicted suicide ideation – identified as a primary risk factor – that predicted suicide behaviors. The results are discussed in the context of primary-secondary risk factors for adolescent suicides.

• PDF
  (USD 29)