Explain why an adolescent might attempt suicide. Are there ethnic and/or gender differences? If so, what are they?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

As in adulthood, most suicides in adolescence are linked to feelings of depression and hopelessness. In some ways, the cognitive expansiveness that accompanies adolescence (formal operational thinking, flexible thinking, the ability to foresee the implications of one's actions) may exacerbate, if not lead, to these negative feelings. Poor problem-solving skills have also been linked to teen suicide. In a sense, teens may not perceive any other way out of a difficult situation (such as having been arrested or being homosexual). Overall, more females attempt suicide, but more males are likely to succeed. This may be due, in large part, to the methods employed. Males are more likely to employ suicide methods that are rapid and deadly (a gun versus sleeping pills). Latino- and Latina-American adolescents are significantly more likely to attempt suicide (10.2 percent) than any other American ethnic group. Contrary to some perceptions, European-American teens are least likely to attempt or commit suicide.