Physical Activity, Participation in Team Sports, and Risk of Suicidal Behavior in Adolescents

Suicide is the second-leading cause of death in adolescents. ] Suicide rates in 1990 for youth aged 15 to 19 were 18.1 per 100,000 for boys and 3.7 per 100,000 for girls; although girls attempt suicide more often than boys, boys more frequently succeed in their suicide attempts. 2 Nearly one-third of all students in grades 9 through 12 in 1991 had seriously thought about committing suicide, 16% had made a specific plan to commit suicide, and 8% had actually attempted suicide) Because suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts are so prevalent in adolescents, it is important to understand the correlates and predictors of suicidal behavior as well as the factors that may protect adolescents against suicidal behavior. If these risk and protective factors can be identified, it may be possible to identify those adolescents at high risk of attempting suicide or to design school-based suicide prevention programs targeted toward all students. Physical activity is positively associated with self-esteem, well-being, and self-efficacy 4 and negatively associated with depression, 5 anxiety, 6 loneliness, shyness, and hopelesshess. 7 Psychological treatment programs for adolescents 5,s,9