Help-negation in suicidal youth living in Switzerland

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To examine whether help-negation (i.e. not accepting or accessing available helping resources) among suicidal youth could also be found in a Swiss sample. METHODS: Data from 7335 16-20-year olds, who participated in the 2002 Swiss Multicentre Adolescent Survey on Health, were analyzed. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to predict if a person would generally talk with no one when having a mental health problem (e.g. feeling depressed or anxious). Not talking about such problems was interpreted as indicator for help-negation. The main predictor was suicide severity. Additionally, an indicator of depression and socio-demographic variables were included in the statistical models. RESULTS: People with higher levels of suicidality and depression were more likely to report that they would not talk about mental health problems. More non-Swiss (vs. Swiss) participants and apprentices (vs. students) reported high suicidality. Furthermore, these specific sub-groups seemed to be particularly likely to negate help. CONCLUSION: Help-negation can also be found in a Swiss sample of young people and seems to be particularly pronounced in some socio-demographic subgroups. By reducing this reluctance to seek help, premature death due to suicide might be reduced

RESUMEN

No disponible