Differential suicide risk factors in rural middle and high school students

Few studies have examined risk factors associated with suicidal ideation and attempts among younger adolescents compared to their high-school aged counterparts. To gain a better understanding of unique risk factors associated with suicidal ideation and attempts among middle-school aged students, the current study employed secondary data analyses on a statewide sample of middle school (6th and 8th grade; n = 7,453) and high school students (10th and 12th grade; n = 5,996) in the United States. Logistic regression analyses were used to determine the effects of fourteen empirically derived risk factors on odds of reporting suicidal ideation (SI) and suicide attempts (SA) in the past year. Results indicated unique factors associated with risk for SI and SA among middle and high school students. For middle-school aged students, female sex, lower perceptions of school safety, sensation seeking, psychological distress, bullying victimization, early initiation of drug use, and community disorganization predicted past year SI. Female sex, white race, perceptions of school safety, bullying victimization, aggregate drugs used, psychological distress, and community disorganization predicted SA. Conversely, sex, age, perceptions of school safety, and community disorganization were not associated with suicidal behavior in high school students. Developmental explanations and avenues for future research are discussed.