Suicidal behavior among middle-class adolescents who seek crisis services

The goal of this study was to assess suicidal behavior and risk factors among 1,616 predominantly middle-class adolescents who were seeking crisis services, either residential or nonresidential. Across recruitment sites, 22.1% reported a past suicide attempt; half reported suicidal ideation in the month prior to seeking services. Attempters were significantly more likely than nonattempters to report suicidal ideation (64.2%), family suicidal behavior (50.5%), and more than twice as likely to have been depressed (37.3%), frequently used alcohol (13.2%), frequently used drugs (10.6%), run away (30.9%), belonged to a gang (6.1%), and destroyed property (5.8%). Suicidal behavior among predominantly White, middle-class adolescents who have sought crisis services appears similar to patterns found among minority youths in Los Angeles and New York City.