Youth Experiencing Homelessness with Suicidal Ideation: Understanding Risk Associated with Peer and Family Social Networks

Suicide is the leading cause of death among youth experiencing homelessness, and these youth report high rates of suicide attempts. Research suggests that the interpersonal factors of perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness are proximal causes of suicide, but little is known about factors associated with these risks. The current study examined the relationship of social network characteristics, perceived social network support, and interpersonal risks for suicide among a sample of 150 youth experiencing homelessness who reported severe suicide ideation. Findings indicate that characteristics of the social network, including engagement in crime and alcohol use, interrupted the potentially protective effects of high perceived social network support for interpersonal risk factors of suicide. Findings imply that increasing perceived social network support as a protection against suicide will not be uniformly successful, and consideration of the social network characteristics is necessary. Future work needs to continue to uncover the complexity of modifiable intervention targets to prevent future suicide attempts among this high-risk group.