Latina adolescent suicide attempts: A review of familial, cultural, and community protective and risk factors

Abstract

In this chapter, we review and summarize what is known about the familial, cultural, and community protective and risk factors for suicide attempts among Latina adolescents. We begin by describing epidemiological findings about the suicidal behaviors of Latina adolescents living in the United States, then briefly discuss the dominant theoretical frameworks and summarize research findings in this area of scholarship. Research has focused primarily on family functioning, explaining it in terms of culture and acculturation. Family closeness, communication, and harmony reduce the risk of suicide attempts, while family conflicts increase it. Experiences of violence at home (e.g., physical abuse) or at school (e.g., bullying) increase the risk of attempted suicide. The significance of cultural values, such as familism, and the role of acculturation in suicidal behaviors is complex, nuanced, and poorly understood. Despite numerous theoretical suggestions of the cultural basis of this phenomenon, there are no definitive answers about the intragroup dynamics shaping protections and risks for suicide attempts. To move the field forward, interdisciplinary and mixed methods research could compare the suicide attempts of different groups of teens to those of Latinas to identify universal and context-specific intervention targets.