Suicide is the process of deliberately ending one's own life (Jamison, 2000). Lukas and Seiden (2007) report that the effects of suicide on those left behind are "devastating." These effects include painful and conflicting emotions, changes in life circumstances, physical illnesses developed because of the stress associated with the suicide, and other painful consequences.
Joiner (2007) states that the most common method of suicide is a firearm but an overdose of medication, asphyxiation, and hanging are other common methods. Joiner also notes that treatment and prevention of suicide typically involves psychotherapy and medication. It is also pointed out that if treatment is being offered to children or adolescents, it is particularly important to ensure that they receive consistent care-taking and frequent interaction with loving and supportive adults who help them to understand their feelings.
This paper focuses on adolescent suicide. The paper first presents a review of the literature. This is followed by very brief mini-proposal for a research study of adolescent suicide.
According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (2009), suicide is the fifth leading cause of death among 5 to 14 year olds and the third leading cause of death among 15 to 24 year olds. Moreover, both of these rates are increasing. Because suicide is a major public health problem, a great deal of the research and theory in the area has focused on factors that put youth at risk for suicide. The literature review presented here delineates and discusses these factors in the general research. It also emphasizes the findings of three major studies of adolescent suicide that have been conducted within the last decade.
What factors place young people at risk for suicide? A general overview of factors contributing to suicide in teens was compiled by Brown, Bennett, and Moncher (2004) who reported that multiple factors are associated...