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The Mediating Roles of Anxiety, Depression, and Hopelessness on Adolescent Suicidal Behaviors
Author(s) -
Thompson Elaine Adams,
Mazza James J.,
Herting Jerald R.,
Randell Brooke P.,
Eggert Leona L.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
suicide and life‐threatening behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.544
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1943-278X
pISSN - 0363-0234
DOI - 10.1521/suli.35.1.14.59266
Subject(s) - psychology , anxiety , depression (economics) , clinical psychology , structural equation modeling , suicidal behavior , suicide prevention , poison control , psychiatry , medicine , statistics , mathematics , economics , macroeconomics , environmental health
The purpose of this study was to explore the roles of anxiety, depression, and hopelessness as mediators between known risk factors and suicidal behaviors among 1,287 potential high school dropouts. As a step toward theory development, a model was tested that posited the relationships among these variables and their effects on suicidal behaviors. Structural equation models, estimated separately by gender, revealed support for the model, and substantial similarities between males and females. The results showed direct effects of depression and hopelessness on suicidal behaviors for males, and direct effects of hopelessness, but not depression, for females. For both males and females, anxiety was directly linked to depression and hopelessness; drug involvement had both direct and indirect effects on suicidal behavior. As hypothesized, lack of family support showed indirect influences on suicidal behaviors through anxiety for both males and females. The results have important implications for future model development regarding adolescent suicidal behaviors.