Protective Associations between Supportive Environment and Suicidality among Minority and Majority Adolescents

Abstract

Objective

To examine the association between supportive environments and adolescent suicidal behavior, especially among marginalized minority groups.

Methods

Participants included 12,196 middle and 16,981 high school students who completed the 2019 Vermont Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Multiple logistic regression models were used to assess the association between three protective factors that were part of a supportive environment (feeling like they matter to people in their community, usually eating dinner at home, having a trusted adult) and suicidality (plan or attempt), controlling for key demographics (sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and race/ethnicity). Moderating effects of demographics were also explored.

Results

All supportive environment variables were protective of making a suicide plan and making a suicide attempt (ORs < 0.75, p-values < 0.005). Students of minority identities were significantly more likely to make a suicide plan (middle school ORs: 1.34–3.51, p-values < 0.0005; high school ORs: 1.19–3.38, p-values < 0.02) and attempt suicide (middle school ORs: 1.42–3.72, p-values < 0.006; high school ORs: 1.38–3.25, p-values < 0.0005) compared to students with majority demographic characteristics. Generally, the associations between having a supportive environment and suicidality did not vary within sexual orientation, gender identify, or race/ethnicity subgroups, suggesting that these supportive environment factors were more universally protective. However, a few associations were stronger among students in the majority demographic groups.

Conclusions

These data suggest that having a supportive environment is protective of suicidality for adolescents from both majority and minority demographic groups.

HIGHLIGHTS

• A supportive environment is protective of adolescent suicide plan and attempt.

• Minority sexual, gender, and racial identities are risk factors for suicidality.

• Minority and majority students are protected by supportive environments.

Keywords:

• Dinner at home
• mattering
• suicide attempt
• suicide plan
• trusted adult

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We would like to thank Dana Kaplan from Outright Vermont for reviewing drafts of the manuscript and offering contextual information.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Valerie S. Harder

Valerie S. Harder, PhD, MHS, Department of Pediatrics, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA, Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA, and The Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA.

Jennifer Lor

Jennifer Lor, BS, The Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA.

Laurel Omland

Laurel Omland, MS, NCC, Child, Adolescent & Family Unit, Vermont Department of Mental Health, Waterbury, VT, USA.

David C. Rettew

David C. Rettew, MD, Department of Pediatrics, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA, Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA, The Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA, and Child, Adolescent & Family Unit, Vermont Department of Mental Health, Waterbury, VT, USA.