Suicide and Self-Injury
Hopelessness associates with suicide risk differently for ethnic minority youth
Shelia Hernandez, B.S.
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Western Kentucky University
Bowling Green, Kentucky
Amy M. Brausch, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychological Science
Western Kentucky University
Bowling Green, Kentucky
Objective/Background: Hopelessness has consistently been examined as a risk factor for suicide, and positively associates with suicide ideation, plans, and attempts (Burr et al., 2018; James et al., 2017). However, most research on hopelessness and suicide risk in youth has been conducted with predominantly White samples. Recent research highlights that risk factors are most likely not universal to youth from different ethnic backgrounds. Using an intersectional framework, contextual factors may be more relevant to ethnic minority youth and better indicate suicide risk than hopelessness (Crenshaw, 1991; Collins, 2000). The current study evaluated differences in hopelessness and suicide risk in White, Black, and Hispanic youth, as well as the moderating effect of ethnicity on the relationship between hopelessness and suicide risk. Method and Participants: Data from the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (CDC) were accessed and used for the current study. Data were available for 13,677 youth (48.8% White, 14.9% Black, 22.2% Hispanic). The median age was 16 and 50.3% were female. High school students complete the survey at school and data collection is anonymous. Items assess past-year experiences and ones included in the study were: feeling hopeless/sad, having serious thoughts of suicide, having a suicide plan, and making at least one suicide attempt.
Results: Hispanic youth reported the highest rates of hopelessness (40.5%), followed by White youth (36%), and then Black youth (31.7%). For suicide ideation, rates were similar across groups (White 19.3%, Black, 17.7%, Hispanic, 18.8%). Rates were also similar for suicide plans (White 15.1%, Black 15.7%, and Hispanic 16.1%). However, for past-year suicide attempts, Black youth had the highest rate (14.6%), followed by Hispanic youth (10.6%), and then White youth (8.2%). Ethnic group was also a significant moderator in the relationship between hopelessness and suicide; the relationship was strongest for White youth and weakest for Black youth.
Conclusions: Existing research overwhelmingly shows that hopelessness is a risk factor for suicide, but results from the current study show that hopelessness may not be an indicator of suicide risk for all youth. The most notable result was that Black youth reported the lowest rates of hopelessness, but the highest rates of suicide attempts. White and Hispanic youth had higher rates of hopelessness, but lower rates of suicide attempts. These results highlight the need to investigate suicide risk factors that are more relevant for ethnic minority youth.