The Association between Parental Attachment and Youth Suicidal Ideation: A Three-Level Meta-analysis

Abstract

Youth suicidal ideation is regarded as a serious psychological problem that hinders their mental health development. Parental attachment is considered a critical factor linked with youth suicidal ideation, but existing findings are still inconsistent. The present study was based on the PRISMA method; it employed a three-level meta-analysis to obtain reliable estimates of effect size and examined a range of moderators (sample, publication, outcome). Through the retrieval of articles published before November 2020, a systematic search yielded 31 independent studies (N = 12848) from which 109 effect sizes could be extracted. The present meta-analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between parental attachment and youth suicidal ideation (r = −0.108, p < 0.001), implying that youths show a higher level of suicidal ideation when they experienced lower quality of parental attachment. Moreover, the overall association was influenced by different parental attachment patterns. More specifically, youth suicidal ideation was more strongly associated with parental alienation (r = 0.501, p < 0.001) than with parental communication (r = −0.173, p < 0.001). The moderator analyses also showed that the type of instrument used was a significant moderator of the association between parental attachment and youth suicidal ideation. The strength of the overall association was significantly stronger when measured with the IPPA (Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment) (r = −0.181, p = 0.003) than with the ECR (Experiences in Close Relationships) (r = 0.085, p = 0.003). These results indicate that assessing parental attachment is important in strengthening interventions that target suicidal ideation among youths.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Our analysis revealed a significant negative association between parental attachment and youth.

• Specifically, the presence of a secure relationship with parents, as perceived by the youth, brings forth feelings of appreciation, acceptance, safety, and confidence, that predispose the individual to seek help in a more consistent manner and to resist to maladjusted behavior when faced with adversity. However, a low quality of attachment produces cognitions associated with perceived burdensomeness and failed belongingness, which increase a youth’s vulnerability to suicidal ideation.

• The parental attachment pattern showed a significant moderating effect on the association between parental attachment and youth suicidal ideation.

• Regarding the association between parental attachment and youth suicidal ideation, we observed that the manner in which parental attachment is measured is another moderating effect.

Keywords:

• Meta-analysis
• moderator variables
• parental attachment
• suicidal ideation
• youth

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We would like to thank all people who helped us conduct this study.

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No. 31900760.

Notes on contributors

Huan Yang

Huan Yang and Guangming Ran, Department of Psychology, Institute of Education, China West Normal University, Nanchong, China. Qi Zhang, College of Preschool and Primary Education, China West Normal University, Nanchong, China. Xiang Niu, Department of Psychology, Institute of Education, China West Normal University, Nanchong, China.

Guangming Ran

Huan Yang and Guangming Ran, Department of Psychology, Institute of Education, China West Normal University, Nanchong, China. Qi Zhang, College of Preschool and Primary Education, China West Normal University, Nanchong, China. Xiang Niu, Department of Psychology, Institute of Education, China West Normal University, Nanchong, China.

Qi Zhang

Huan Yang and Guangming Ran, Department of Psychology, Institute of Education, China West Normal University, Nanchong, China. Qi Zhang, College of Preschool and Primary Education, China West Normal University, Nanchong, China. Xiang Niu, Department of Psychology, Institute of Education, China West Normal University, Nanchong, China.

Xiang Niu

Huan Yang and Guangming Ran, Department of Psychology, Institute of Education, China West Normal University, Nanchong, China. Qi Zhang, College of Preschool and Primary Education, China West Normal University, Nanchong, China. Xiang Niu, Department of Psychology, Institute of Education, China West Normal University, Nanchong, China.