Dimensions of Adolescent Psychopathology and Relationships to Suicide Risk Indicators

Edelyn Verona, Shabnam Javdani

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Youth suicide represents an area of important public and mental health concern. Although diagnostic correlates (e. g., depression) of suicidality have been identified, very few studies of youth have analyzed relationships between empirically-derived dimensions of psychopathology, representing broader dimensions of risk, and different suicidality indicators. We recruited 223 adolescents (57% female; 32% ethnic minority) from mental health agencies and the community to assess psychopathology, substance use, and suicidality relying on multiple measures and reporters (youth, parent, and clinician). Using a 3-factor model of psychopathology, we found that the Internalizing factor (including depression and generalized anxiety) was associated with both suicidal thinking and behaviors (threats/attempts), the Externalizing factor (conduct, oppositional, and attention deficit disorders) was negatively related only to suicidal thinking, and the Substance Use factor (alcohol and cannabis use) related to suicidal behaviors of threats/attempts but not suicidal thinking. The results show the utility of a dimensional conceptualization for clarifying distinct vulnerabilities to suicidal thinking versus overt behaviors and have implications for the construct validity of distinct dimensions of psychopathology.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)958-971
Number of pages14
JournalJournal of Youth and Adolescence
Volume40
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 2011

Keywords

  • Adolescence
  • Externalizing
  • Internalizing
  • Psychopathology
  • Substance use
  • Suicidality

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Social Psychology
  • Education
  • Developmental and Educational Psychology
  • Social Sciences (miscellaneous)

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