Differences among adolescent, young adult, and adult callers of suicide help lines

The authors examined data on 165 adolescents (ages 12 to 19), 65 young adults (ages 20 to 26), and 175 adults (ages 27 and older) who called two suicide help lines in Los Angeles County during a two-week period. One crisis line is operated by a major suicide prevention center; the second is a crisis help line for adolescents that offers peer counselors. Adults and young adults reported depression as the primary reason for contemplating suicide; adolescents reported interpersonal problems. Despite the chronic nature of the presenting problems, referrals were provided to fewer than one-half of the adults and young adults and fewer than one-third of the adolescent callers. Although the callers reported suicide ideation, a very small percentage fell into the high-risk categories with regard to degree of suicide planfulness and lethality of chosen method.