Historical and Contemporary Factors Influencing Non-Lethal Suicidal Behavior Among Reservation-Based Native American Youth
Dublin Core
Title
Historical and Contemporary Factors Influencing Non-Lethal Suicidal Behavior Among Reservation-Based Native American Youth
Subject
Indigenous youth
Electronic Resource Item Type Metadata
Publication Date
2012
Publisher
John Hopkins
Document Type
Dissertation
Language
English
Access
Open Access
View Source
Abstract
Background: Despite progress in understanding non-lethal suicidal behavior among youth in the United States little is known about the factors that contribute to this behavior among reservation based Native American youth.
Objectives: The purpose of this dissertation was to further the understanding of non-lethal suicidal behavior (suicide ideation and suicide attempt) among reservation based Native American youth, 15-24 years of aged, by examining the relationship between historical trauma, historical loss, contemporary trauma, individual trauma response, protective factors and lifetime suicide ideation and attempts in an understudied population.
Design and methods: A cross-sectional correlational design was used. Data were collected using an anonymous web-based survey. Participants completed a self-report
187 item survey assessing individual experiences with suicide ideation and suicide attempt, and including historical trauma, historical loss, historical loss associated symptoms, exposure to violence, childhood trauma, perceived discrimination, substance use, depression, PTSD, communal mastery, and cultural identity.
Sample: 288 Native American youth 15-24 years of age from one reservation-two tribes in the northern plains participated in this study.
Findings: Lifetime suicide ideation and lifetime suicide attempt were highly prevalent in this sample. O f 288 participants 45.3% and 35.8% reported lifetime ideation and
attempts, respectively, while 47.6 reported no ideation or attempts. Females reported more ideation (58.1 vs 41.9) and more attempts (55.0 vs 45.0) than males however, no significant gender differences were found across ideation or attempt.
Objectives: The purpose of this dissertation was to further the understanding of non-lethal suicidal behavior (suicide ideation and suicide attempt) among reservation based Native American youth, 15-24 years of aged, by examining the relationship between historical trauma, historical loss, contemporary trauma, individual trauma response, protective factors and lifetime suicide ideation and attempts in an understudied population.
Design and methods: A cross-sectional correlational design was used. Data were collected using an anonymous web-based survey. Participants completed a self-report
187 item survey assessing individual experiences with suicide ideation and suicide attempt, and including historical trauma, historical loss, historical loss associated symptoms, exposure to violence, childhood trauma, perceived discrimination, substance use, depression, PTSD, communal mastery, and cultural identity.
Sample: 288 Native American youth 15-24 years of age from one reservation-two tribes in the northern plains participated in this study.
Findings: Lifetime suicide ideation and lifetime suicide attempt were highly prevalent in this sample. O f 288 participants 45.3% and 35.8% reported lifetime ideation and
attempts, respectively, while 47.6 reported no ideation or attempts. Females reported more ideation (58.1 vs 41.9) and more attempts (55.0 vs 45.0) than males however, no significant gender differences were found across ideation or attempt.
Cataloger
Maria Qureshi
Citation
“Historical and Contemporary Factors Influencing Non-Lethal Suicidal Behavior Among Reservation-Based Native American Youth,” ICMGLT Digital Library, accessed November 3, 2026, https://library.icmglt.org/items/show/933.