Suicidal Ideation, Friendships with Delinquents, Social and Parental Connectedness, and Differential Associations by Sex Findings Among High-Risk Pre/Early Adolescent Population

Background: The association between suicidal ideation, friendships with delinquents, and social/parental connectedness among pre/early adolescents who reside in high-risk communities is poorly understood. Aims: This study examined among high-risk youths: (1) the association between suicidal ideation and having delinquent friends, school connectedness, social support, and different parenting styles (i.e., caring only, supervision only, caring with supervision); and, (2) the differential associations by sex. Methods: The associations were assessed among 2,598 pre/early adolescents using logistic regression. The analyses were adjusted for demographic, mental distress, illicit substance use, and peer/date violence victimization factors. The interaction terms determined differences by sex. Results: After adjusting for demographic factors and mental distress, suicidal ideation was positively associated with having delinquent friends; however, after factoring in illicit substance use and violence victimization, this association was negative for males. After adjusting for all factors, suicidal ideation was negatively associated with school connectedness and all parenting styles; however, the association between suicidal ideation and having parental caring with supervision was stronger for females. Conclusions: The results suggest the potential benefits of increasing school connectedness and improving parent-child interactions, particularly among females, and the potential benefits of violence and substance-abuse prevention strategies for youths, particularly males, connected with delinquent peers.