Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology

, Volume 48, Issue 2, pp 245–255 | Cite as

The long-lasting impact of adolescents’ deviant friends on suicidality: a 3-year follow-up perspective

Original Paper
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Abstract

Background

During adolescence, friends are increasingly important for support and values. Do friends also have a long-term impact on suicidality? This study explored the role of friendship problems (e.g., social isolation) and deviant friends during late adolescence on suicidal ideation and behavior 3 years later.

Method

Participants were 295 community adolescents (59 % Mexican-American; 41 % European-American) from the United States. Information about their suicidal ideation and behavior, depression, friendship problems, and deviant friends was collected at baseline and at a 3-year follow-up.

Results

Having deviant friends was a better predictor of suicidality than having friendship problems, with variability by sex and ethnicity. Having deviant friends predicted suicidal ideation among Mexican-American adolescents. Having friends who were disconnected from school was a risk factor for suicidal ideation among European-American adolescents but a protective factor for suicidal behavior among Mexican-American adolescents, especially boys. Depression played more of a mediating role between friendship factors and suicidality for European-American than for Mexican-American adolescents.

Conclusions

This study’s findings suggest an influence of adolescents’ deviant friends on suicidality 3 years later. They also call for the cultural and gender grounding of suicide theory, research and prevention.

Keywords

Suicidal Adolescent Friendships Ethnicity Longitudinal 
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Notes

Acknowledgments

The data for this study came from a study funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse via Research Grant No. NIDA DA 06293, awarded to Ernest L. Chavez and his collaborators. The authors thank Ernest L. Chavez for access to the data, and for comments on early versions of this study.

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 2012

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Department of PsychologyUniversity of Wisconsin OshkoshOshkoshUSA
  2. 2.Department of PsychologyColorado State UniversityFort CollinsUSA

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