Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 20, 2025
07:15
Author Spotlight: Understanding Adolescent Social Adversity Effects on Neurodevelopment in Mice
Published on: March 15, 2024
1.6K
Longitudinal Associations Between Perceived Discrimination and Suicidality in Youth
Arielle T Pearlman1, Mikela A Murphy2, Sorana Raiciulescu3
1Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU), Bethesda, MD.
The Journal of Pediatrics
|July 30, 2023
Summary
Discrimination significantly increases suicidality risk in adolescents. Experiencing discrimination based on weight, race, or sexual orientation, especially multiple forms, elevates the odds of suicidal ideation and behavior.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry and Mental Health
- Adolescent Psychology
- Sociology of Health
Background:
- Adult research shows strong links between discrimination and suicidality.
- The impact of discrimination on youth suicidality remains under-researched.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between various forms of discrimination and suicidality in adolescents.
- To determine if experiencing multiple types of discrimination amplifies suicidality risk.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study (n=10,312).
- Assessed discrimination based on multiple attributes.
- Evaluated depressive disorders and suicidality (ideation, behavior) one year later using the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia.
- Employed logistic regression, controlling for covariates like age, sex, race/ethnicity, income, prior depressive disorders, and body composition.
Main Results:
- Discrimination based on weight (OR: 2.19), race/ethnicity/color (OR: 3.21), and sexual orientation (OR: 3.83) were significantly associated with increased odds of suicidality.
- Nationality-based discrimination did not show a significant association with suicidality.
- Adolescents reporting discrimination based on two or more attributes had nearly five times greater odds of recent suicidality (OR: 4.72).
Conclusions:
- Discrimination, particularly multiple forms, poses a significant risk factor for adolescent suicidality.
- Weight, race/ethnicity, and sexual orientation are key attributes linked to discrimination-related suicidality in youth.
- Findings underscore the critical need for interventions addressing discrimination to improve adolescent mental health.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Ethnic Identity within a Larger Culture
59
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...
59
02:20Longitudinal Research
12.0K
Sometimes we want to see how people change over time, as in studies of human development and lifespan. When we test the same group of individuals repeatedly over an extended period of time, we are conducting longitudinal research. Longitudinal research is a research design in which data-gathering is administered repeatedly over an extended period of time. For example, we may survey a group of individuals about their dietary habits at age 20, retest them a decade later at age 30, and then again...
12.0K
02:04Bullying
8.4K
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...
8.4K
02:45Self-Discrepancy Theory
18.4K
One influential perspective on what motivates people's behavior is detailed in Tory Higgin's self-discrepancy theory (Higgins, 1987). He proposed that people hold disagreeing internal representations of themselves that lead to different emotional states.
18.4K
03:00Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification
5.2K
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...
5.2K
01:26Longitudinal Studies
187
Longitudinal studies are also widely used in other medical and social science fields. For instance, in cardiovascular research, they can monitor patients' health over decades to identify risk factors for heart disease, such as high cholesterol or smoking, and evaluate the long-term effectiveness of preventive measures. Similarly, in mental health studies, researchers might follow individuals from adolescence into adulthood to understand the development and progression of conditions like...
187