Examining Suicide Protective Factors Among Black College Students

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to contribute to the nascent literature on resilience and suicidality among Black Americans by examining factors that may predict less suicidal behavior among this population. The authors hypothesized that reasons for living, life satisfaction, and religious awareness would account for unique variance in suicidal thoughts and behavior among Black Americans, above the variance accounted for by depressive symptoms. They also hypothesized that reasons for living and religious awareness would be stronger inverse predictors among Black women than Black men. Results indicated that both depression and life satisfaction were stronger predictors of suicidal behavior among Black men. Among women, only reasons for living was a significant inverse predictor of suicidal thoughts and behavior. More frequent reasons for living moderated the relationship between depression and suicidal thoughts and behavior among Black women.

Acknowledgments

Support for this research was provided by grant P20 MD001089-01 from the National Institutes of Health, National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities, and Department of Health and Human Services.

Notes

Note. SBQ-R Q1 = The Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire—Revised, Question 1; CES-D = The Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale; RFL-YA = The Reasons for Living Inventory for Young Adults; SWLS = Satisfaction with Life Scale; SAI-A = The Spiritual Assessment Inventory. Calculation of coefficient alpha was sometimes based on less than the full sample because not all participants completed every instrument item.

Note. Correlations for men are above the diagonal. SBQR Q1 = The Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised, item 1; CES-D = The Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale; RFL-YA = The Reasons for Living Inventory for Young Adults; SWLS = Satisfaction with Life Scale; SAI-A = The Spiritual Assessment Inventory.

*p < .05. **p < .01, one-tailed.

Note. *p < .05. **p < .01. ***p < .001.