The Relationship between Parental Socioeconomic Status, Race, and Adolescent Suicidal Ideation

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  • February 26, 2019
Creator
  • Murray, Kadejah S.
    • Affiliation: College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Sociology
Abstract
  • The suicide rate in the United States has increased by 24 percent since 1999. Both adolescent girls and boys experienced substantial suicide rate increases over this time period. Thus, there is very strong reason to understand the factors associated with adolescent suicidal thoughts (i.e., suicidal ideation) in the United States. This paper addresses the question whether household income is associated with adolescent suicidal ideation, and how this relationship is modified by race. Theoretically, Link and Phelan’s fundamental cause theory guides this research and suggests that suicidal ideation is associated with lower socioeconomic status. Data from Wave I of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), a nationally representative sample of 20,000 adolescents in the 7th through 12th grade during 1994-1995, were used to examine this relationship. Logistic regression analyses were utilized to test the influence of household income on adolescent suicidal ideation, controlling for age, race, gender, religious community, religious importance, parent’s educational attainment, and family structure. Results from this study show that there is no significant relationship between household income and adolescent suicidal ideation. Most importantly, however, this relationship is strongly modified by race. As household income increases, black adolescents have higher odds of suicidal ideation. As household income increases for white adolescents, their odds of suicidal ideation are lower. This research contributes to our understanding of which US adolescents are at highest risk for committing suicide and who should be the target of prevention campaigns.
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  • In Copyright
Note
  • Funding: Honors Undergraduate Research Fund
Advisor
  • Hummer, Robert
Degree
  • Bachelor of Arts
Academic concentration
  • Sociology
Honors level
  • Honors
Degree granting institution
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Graduation year
  • 2017
Language
  • English

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