Understanding situational factors and conditions contributing to suicide among Black youth and young adults

Abstract

Abstract In 1897, sociologist Emile Durkheim published in his book the first body of research on the social causes of suicide. His research challenged the notion that suicide potential factors are limited to psychological or emotional conditions and found a link between suicide and an individual’s social connectedness to one’s society as a member of a collective group. Since this early work, there has been limited research focusing on suicidality and conditions that undermine the sense of belongingness to one’s society. The current study examines suicidality among inner-city Black adolescents and young adults, the link to the social problem of discrimination, and the unique ways that it may behaviorally manifest in this population. This systematic review explores high-risk behaviors through a culturally sensitive framework that can be conceptualized as signs of suicide risk, intent, and behavior among this population. Further, the authors expand on the traditional method of suicide; the act of intentionally killing oneself, to examine the cultural function of a proposed form of suicide, victim-precipitated homicide, whereby individuals unconsciously or consciously aid in their own death through self-destructive behavior or violent confrontation ( Chance et al., 1998 ; Parent and Verdun-Jones, 1998 ). A goal of this review is to shift away from the original view of victim-precipitated homicide which focused on the victim and instead examine the factors that perpetuate the psychological conditions that propels the behavior. The aim of this review is to shed light on cultural and situational forces that facilitate the risk of self-harm in Black adolescents and young adults. More importantly, this review also explores the need for improvements in the screening, detection, and prevention of suicidality that may be identified as high-risk or aggressive behaviors that result in violent death among this population.