Examining Discrepant Reports of Adolescents’ Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors: A Focus on Racial and Ethnic Minority Families

Abstract

Introduction

Adolescents and their parents do not always see eye to eye. This principle applies to multi-informant reports of adolescents’ self-injurious thoughts and behaviors. Although prior work has revealed the presence of parent-adolescent discrepant reports, we have little insight into exactly who is most likely to display such discrepancies. To address this knowledge gap, the present investigation examines demographic correlates of parent-adolescent reports of adolescents’ self-injurious thoughts and behaviors, with a focus on race and ethnicity.

Method

The sample included 45 dyads of adolescents (M = 15.79 years, SD = 1.42) and their parents reporting on adolescents’ history of suicide ideation, suicide plan, suicide gesture, suicide attempt, and nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI).

Results

Greater discrepancies in reports of adolescents’ suicide ideation and NSSI were observed among racial minority parent-adolescent dyads (Black, Asian, Multiracial, Other) relative to White dyads. Racial minority parents tended to report less suicide ideation and NSSI observed in their adolescents compared to adolescents’ self-report. Moreover, Hispanic parents tended to report less NSSI relative to adolescents’ self-report. Parent-adolescent discrepancies did not consistently correspond with other characteristics such as age and sexual orientation.

Conclusion

Racial minority parent-adolescent dyads, relative to White parent-adolescent dyads, are less likely to see eye to eye on adolescents’ suicidal and nonsuicidal self-harming tendencies.

Keywords:

• Adolescence
• ethnicity
• nonsuicidal self-injury
• parents
• race
• suicide ideation
• suicide planning

AUTHOR NOTES

Kerri-Anne Bell, Ilana Gratch, Theresa Ebo, and Christine B. Cha, Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA.

Notes

1 The featured sample was drawn from two larger studies utilizing similar recruitment strategies and that both featured community-based suicidal and nonsuicidal adolescents. There were no significant differences between the two samples in lifetime presence of any SITBs or any demographic variables beyond the following: one sample was 1.43 years older on average (p < .001), and had a greater proportion of White and Asian adolescents (p < .01).

2 In most cases, adolescents’ racial/ethnic identity were the same as their parents/guardians. There were some exceptions to this (e.g., eight parent/guardians of racial minority youth self-identified as White; eight parent/guardians of Hispanic youth self-identified as non-Hispanic).

Additional information

Funding

The Laboratory for Clinical and Developmental Studies and the NIMH R15 MH113076-01A1 (PI: Cha).