DEPRESSION, TRAUMA, AND SUICIDE AMONG ADOLESCENT AND YOUNG ADULT MALES

This chapter examines health disparities in suicide and their associations with depression and trauma among adolescent and young adult males. It addresses the social and developmental contexts related to the mechanisms through which depression and trauma are associated with suicide, with a specific focus on the uniquely challenging issues of suicidal behaviors among young Black males. The chapter seeks to apply the integrated theoretical framework to discuss the relationships among depression, trauma, and suicide among young Black males. The overwhelming burden and chronicity of depression among young Black males and their underutilization of mental health services, in part, explain the marked increase in suicide rates in the population. The Cultural Model of Suicide could add another layer of insight in relation to suicide among young Black males. The chapter illustrates the complex relationships among depression, trauma, and suicide disparities among males, with a special focus on young Black males.