Suicidal Ideation and Attempts During Article Review

One of the most significant findings was that suicidal children perceive their family environment as more stressful and less supportive than those children who were not suicidal. Coupled with this is the finding that children with suicidal ideation and children with suicide attempts reported more depressive symptoms than non-suicidal children. (Asarnow, 1992, p. 39) Asarnow found that there was a clear link between family situation and environment and thoughts and action related to suicide. "... children who attempted or thought of suicide"... described their families as less cohesive, less expressive, and higher in conflict than did nonsuicidal children" (Asarnow, 1992, p. 39).These children were also found to have higher levels of depression than others in the group with more supportive family structures. The article adds another layer of empirical evidence to the view that family environment and lack of support as well as increased stress are causative factors in child suicide. As the author points out, these finding are also consistent with other similar studies.

An analysis of the article leads to a number of important conclusions. The first is that studies of this nature are invaluable in isolating social and psychological causes that can identify high-risk children.They can also be used to create and design strategies and interventions that can reduce the extent of this problem. Secondly, the study also helps to focus attention on a problem that is seemingly becoming more and more pervasive in our society and which demands more research and attention in the future. Lastly, research of this nature also is indicative of fault lines and problems in society as a whole. This aspect relates particularly to the decline of the family structure and its concomitant supportive role in contemporary society. The decline of the family as an important factor in the increasing rates of depression suicide and other mental abnormalities and aliments in the youth is an important concern that could form an extension of the present study.

References

http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=81023676

Asarnow, J.R. (1992). Suicidal Ideation and Attempts during Middle Childhood: Associations with Perceived Family Stress and Depression among Child Psychiatric Inpatients. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 21(1), 35-40. Retrieved May 16, 2007, from….....