Relationships Between Suicide Risk, Traumatic Experiences, and Substance Use Among Juvenile Detainees

Abstract

Youth suicide ideation in juvenile justice settings is a phenomenon with multiple determinants. This article examines relationships among determinants of suicidal ideation utilizing various screening instruments. Consecutive youth admitted to detention in Connecticut (N = 757) completed the Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument 2 (MAYSI-2), the Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire (SIQ), measures of substance use, and risk and protective factors for violence during intake screening. In bivariate and multivariate analyses (controlling for demographic and MAYSI-2 sub-scale scores), relationships were found between the Traumatic Experiences and Alcohol and Drug Use subscales of the MAYSI-2 and the SIQ. The potential impact of traumatic stress and substance use symptoms in understanding and detecting youths who are at risk for suicide is discussed.

Keywords:

• detention
• juveniles
• MAYSI-2
• suicide
• screening
• trauma

Funding for this study was provided in part by a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health K23 MH01889-01A, Julian Ford, Principal Investigator.

Notes

RaceAfAm = African–American Race, RaceHisp = Hispanic Race, Angry Irritable = MAYSI-2 Angry Irritable Scale; Alcohol/Drug = MAYSI-2 Alcohol and Drug Use Scale; Dep/Anx = MAYSI-2 Depressed Anxious Scale; Somatic = MAYSI-2 Somatic Scale, TD = MAYSI-2 Thought Disturbance Scale; TE = MAYSI-2 Traumatic Experiences Scale