Strain, Depressed Mood and Suicidal Thoughts Among Maltreated Adolescents in the United States

• NCJ Number: 248067
• Journal: Child Abuse and Neglect Volume: 38 Issue: 7 Dated: July 2014 Pages: 1171-1179
• Author(s): Carol Coohey; April Dirks-Bihun; Lynette M. Renner; Robert Baller
• Date Published: July 2014
• Length: 9 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study investigated whether status, relational, and maltreatment strain were related to suicidal thoughts in maltreated adolescents, or whether depression or drug use mediated the relation between strain and thoughts of suicide.

Abstract

Findings from this study on whether status, relational, or maltreatment strain were related to suicidal thoughts in maltreated adolescents include the following: one dimension of relational strain, poor relationship with peers, and greater depressed mood were directly related to whether or not study participants thought about suicide; depressed mood mediated the relationship between two strain variables, the relationship with their caregiver and their relationship with school, and suicidal thoughts; and while child maltreatment strain and substance use were not directly related to suicidal thoughts, depressed mood appeared to mediate the relationship between drug use and suicidal thoughts. This study tested two hypotheses: whether status, relational, and maltreatment strain were related to suicidal thoughts in maltreated adolescents; and, if the previous hypothesis was not true, whether depression or drug use mediated the relation between strain and thoughts of suicide. The study used data from Wave I of the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW), a national probability sample of children and their caregivers investigated by child protective services systems around the country. The sample included 5,501 children age 0-15 who had substantiated incidences of maltreatment, incidences where it was probable that maltreatment occurred, or instances where there was clear evidence to substantiate the finding of maltreatment. Both adolescents and their caregivers completed assessments on the well-being of the children. Analyses of the survey data suggest that maltreated adolescents who appear to be disconnected from caregivers, friends, and school should be assessed for depression and suicidal thoughts. Study limitations and implications for practice are discussed. Tables and references