Identification of factors associated with suicidal behavior in Colombian indigenous children and adolescents

Abstract

Suicide among indigenous children and adolescents poses a particularly challenging public health issue for Western healthcare systems. The aim of this study was to identify psychological factors and parent/caregiver attachment-related factors associated with suicide risk in indigenous children and adolescents. A correlational cross-sectional study was conducted, involving 399 children and adolescents and their families from four indigenous communities, with a mean age of 11.93 years. 89% of children and adolescents were found to have some level of self-reported suicide risk, with parents identifying this risk in 21.1% of children and youth. The risk was found to be associated with perceived criticism by caregivers, the use of physical punishment, and the identification of feelings of worthlessness. In addition to highlighting high indicators of suicide risk in the studied population, this study concludes that indicators of distress in children and adolescents are associated with disruptions in the perception of relationships with their parents.

Keywords:

• Suicide
• emotions
• child behavior
• family relationship
• indigenous peoples

Acknowledgments

To Jaramillo, Governor of the Embera Dobida community of Caucamorro, and Nancy Millán Echevarría.

Disclosure statement

The authors of this manuscript declare that we had no sources of funding and declare no conflicts of interest.

Data availability statement

The data from this study is available upon request.

Notes

1 Colombian socioeconomic stratification system is a classification of households to set the cost of public services based on the physical characteristics of the dwelling and its surroundings. That system classifies households from strata 0 which corresponds to lesser quality of living conditions and poverty, to strata 6 which refers to the best living conditions and highest incomes.