Suicidal behaviour and family factors among Dutch and Slovenian high school students: a comparison

Objective: East European countries have much higher suicide rates than West European countries. Whether this also applies for suicidal ideation and suicide attempts is not known. In addition, the role of family factors in relation to suicidal behaviour has not been investigated in East European countries. Method: Two representative samples of 19250 Dutch and 4706 Slovenian high school students were compared on the basis of self-report data. Results: Slovenian students report more suicidal behaviour (ideation and attempts) as well as more unfavourable family circumstances than Dutch students. This applies especially to the death of parent(s), the number of changes in their living situation, and to conflicts between or with parents. Conclusion: A relation between family characteristics and suicidal behaviour is established in both samples, but proved to be strongest in Slovenian girls. Complicated cultural and socioeconomic differences between the two countries may account for the reported differences.