Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 22, 2026
05:52
Handwriting Analysis Indicates Spontaneous Dyskinesias in Neuroleptic Naïve Adolescents at High Risk for Psychosis
Published on: November 21, 2013
15.6K
Neighborhood Characteristics and Adolescent Suicidal Behavior: Evidence from a Population-based Study
Kristina Allen1, Sidra Goldman-Mellor1
1University of California, Merced, CA, USA.
Suicide & Life-Threatening Behavior
|September 16, 2017
Summary
Adolescents perceiving their neighborhoods as unsafe or lacking social cohesion face a higher risk of suicidal behavior. Objective neighborhood crime and disadvantage levels showed no link to adolescent suicide risk.
Area of Science:
- Adolescent psychology
- Environmental sociology
- Public health
Background:
- Limited research exists on neighborhood characteristics influencing adolescent nonfatal suicidal behavior.
- Understanding environmental impacts on youth mental health is crucial for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between objective and subjective neighborhood quality and adolescent suicidal ideation and attempts.
- To differentiate the impact of perceived versus actual neighborhood conditions on youth suicide risk.
Main Methods:
- Utilized California survey data linking adolescent self-reports of suicidal behavior with neighborhood measures.
- Assessed objective neighborhood quality (crime rates, socioeconomic disadvantage) and subjective quality (perceived safety, social cohesion).
Main Results:
- Objective neighborhood factors (violent crime, property crime, socioeconomic disadvantage) were not significantly associated with adolescent suicidal behavior.
- Adolescents perceiving lower neighborhood safety and social cohesion reported a 20%-45% increased likelihood of suicidal ideation and attempts.
Conclusions:
- Subjective perceptions of neighborhood environment, specifically safety and cohesion, are significant predictors of adolescent suicidal behavior.
- Interventions addressing adolescents' perceived neighborhood environment may be vital for suicide prevention efforts.
Related Concept Videos
02:04Bullying
8.9K
A modern form of aggression is bullying. As you learn in your study of child development, socializing and playing with other children is beneficial for children’s psychological development. However, as you may have experienced as a child, not all play behavior has positive outcomes. Some children are aggressive and want to play roughly. Other children are selfish and do not want to share toys. One form of negative social interactions among children that has become a national concern is...
8.9K
01:23Influence of Parents and Peers on Identity
615
Adolescence is a pivotal period of identity formation, during which individuals begin to answer questions central to their sense of self, such as "Who am I?" and "Who do I hope to become?" Both parents and peers play critical roles in guiding adolescents through this complex developmental phase.
Parental Influence on Identity Development
Parents serve as primary guides and managers in an adolescent's life, offering support instrumental in decision-making and personal growth....
Parental Influence on Identity Development
Parents serve as primary guides and managers in an adolescent's life, offering support instrumental in decision-making and personal growth....
615
03:00Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification
5.8K
Social psychologists have documented that feeling good about ourselves and maintaining positive self-esteem is a powerful motivator of human behavior (Tavris & Aronson, 2008). In the United States, members of the predominant culture typically think very highly of themselves and view themselves as good people who are above average on many desirable traits (Ehrlinger, Gilovich, & Ross, 2005). Often, our behavior, attitudes, and beliefs are affected when we experience a threat to our...
5.8K
01:29Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia
697
Schizophrenia, a complex psychiatric disorder, has been historically misunderstood. Early psychological theories attributed its origins to childhood trauma and unresponsive parenting. However, contemporary research largely rejects these notions, favoring the vulnerability-stress hypothesis. This model proposes that individuals with a genetic predisposition to schizophrenia may develop the disorder following exposure to significant environmental stressors. Notably, studies on high-risk...
697
01:27Ethnic Identity within a Larger Culture
351
Adolescents from ethnic minority backgrounds face a multifaceted journey in forming their identities, shaped by the intersections of cultural expectations and personal exploration. For these adolescents, identity formation involves not only typical developmental challenges but also navigating the perceptions and attitudes of the majority culture. As they grow, adolescents in ethnic minority groups often become increasingly aware of stereotypes, social biases, and discrimination, all of which...
351
01:50Cross-Sectional Research
12.7K
In cross-sectional research, a researcher compares multiple segments of the population at the same time. If they were interested in people's dietary habits, the researcher might directly compare different groups of people by age. Instead of following a group of people for 20 years to see how their dietary habits changed from decade to decade, the researcher would study a group of 20-year-old individuals and compare them to a group of 30-year-old individuals and a group of 40-year-old...
12.7K