IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/cysrev/v158y2024ics0190740924000379.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Suicidal behavior and deliberate self-harm: A major challenge for youth residential care in Spain

Author

Listed:
  • Muela, Alexander
  • García-Ormaza, Jon
  • Sansinenea, Eneko

Abstract

The aim of this study was to characterize and determine the incidence of suicidal behavior and deliberate self-harm among youth in residential care in Spain, and to explore the perceived knowledge and competence of direct care professionals with regard to recognizing and managing suicide risk. The sample comprised 185 adolescents aged between 12 and 18 years (M = 15.41, SD = 1.58; 49.7 % male, 49.2 % female, and 1.1 % non-binary) and 225 direct care professionals (Mage = 34.58, SD = 13.72). We found a high rate of suicidal behavior (36.2 % of adolescents reported suicidal ideation and 26.5 % had made a lifetime suicide attempt), and only a third of young people who had thoughts about suicide had sought help. Half of the adolescent sample had engaged in deliberate self-harm. Among direct care professionals, there was a perceived lack of knowledge with respect to recognizing and managing suicide risk behavior. Adolescents in residential care are a risk population that should be targeted with specific interventions aimed at preventing suicidal behavior. Training for professionals is also needed to ensure they have the skills required to ask young people about suicidal thoughts or intentions and to engage them with appropriate support services.

Suggested Citation

  • Muela, Alexander & García-Ormaza, Jon & Sansinenea, Eneko, 2024. "Suicidal behavior and deliberate self-harm: A major challenge for youth residential care in Spain," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:158:y:2024:i:c:s0190740924000379
    DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2024.107465
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190740924000379
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.childyouth.2024.107465?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ruch, Donna A. & Munir, Armin & Steelesmith, Danielle L. & Bridge, Jeffrey A. & Fontanella, Cynthia A., 2023. "Characteristics and precipitating circumstances of suicide among youth involved with the U.S. child welfare system," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    2. Evans, Rhiannon & White, James & Turley, Ruth & Slater, Thomas & Morgan, Helen & Strange, Heather & Scourfield, Jonathan, 2017. "Comparison of suicidal ideation, suicide attempt and suicide in children and young people in care and non-care populations: Systematic review and meta-analysis of prevalence," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 122-129.
    3. Águila-Otero, A. & Bravo, A. & Santos, I. & Del Valle, J.F., 2020. "Addressing the most damaged adolescents in the child protection system: An analysis of the profiles of young people in therapeutic residential care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    4. Andrea Miranda-Mendizabal & Pere Castellví & Oleguer Parés-Badell & Itxaso Alayo & José Almenara & Iciar Alonso & Maria Jesús Blasco & Annabel Cebrià & Andrea Gabilondo & Margalida Gili & Carolina Lag, 2019. "Gender differences in suicidal behavior in adolescents and young adults: systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 64(2), pages 265-283, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Osteen, Philip J. & Lacasse, Jeffrey R. & Woods, MaKenna N. & Greene, Rachel & Frey, Jodi J. & Lane Forsman, R., 2018. "Training youth services staff to identify, assess, and intervene when working with youth at high risk for suicide," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 308-315.
    2. Yoo Mi Jeong & Hanjong Park, 2020. "Influence of Parental Attitude Toward Psychiatric Help on Their Children’s Suicidal Ideation: A Convenience Sample Study on One South Korean Middle School," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(20), pages 1-12, October.
    3. Richardson, Cara & Robb, Kathryn A. & O'Connor, Rory C., 2021. "A systematic review of suicidal behaviour in men: A narrative synthesis of risk factors," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 276(C).
    4. Villarreal-Otálora, Tatiana & Boyas, Javier F. & Alvarez-Hernandez, Luis R. & Fatehi, Mariam, 2020. "Ecological factors influencing suicidal ideation-to-action among Latinx adolescents: An exploration of sex differences," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    5. Ethel Santacruz & Derlis Duarte-Zoilan & Gilda Benitez Rolandi & Felicia Cañete & Dins Smits & Noël C. Barengo & Guillermo Sequera, 2024. "Epidemiology of Suicide Mortality in Paraguay from 2005 to 2019: A Descriptive Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(3), pages 1-11, February.
    6. Maha Sulaiman Younis & Riyadh Khudhiar Lafta, 2021. "The plight of women in Iraq: Gender disparity, violence, and mental health," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 67(8), pages 977-983, December.
    7. Stewart, Shannon L. & Graham, Alana A. & Poss, Jeffrey W., 2023. "Examining the mental health indicators and service needs of children living with foster families," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 147(C).
    8. Göbbels-Koch, Petra, 2023. "The range of suicidal ideation among people with care experience: Occurrences of suicidal thoughts in a cross-national sample from England and Germany," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    9. María Teresa Carrasco-Barrios & Paloma Huertas & Paloma Martín & Carlos Martín & Mª Carmen Castillejos & Eleni Petkari & Berta Moreno-Küstner, 2020. "Determinants of Suicidality in the European General Population: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-24, June.
    10. Águila-Otero, A. & Bravo, A. & Santos, I. & Del Valle, J.F., 2020. "Addressing the most damaged adolescents in the child protection system: An analysis of the profiles of young people in therapeutic residential care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    11. Lucía Antolín-Suárez & Francisco J. Nieto-Casado & Ana Rodríguez-Meirinhos & Alfredo Oliva, 2020. "Demographic, Social, and Economic Factors of Internalizing Problems in Referred and Non-Referred Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(14), pages 1-15, July.
    12. Ascensión Fumero & Rosario J. Marrero & Alicia Pérez-Albéniz & Eduardo Fonseca-Pedrero, 2021. "Adolescents’ Bipolar Experiences and Suicide Risk: Well-being and Mental Health Difficulties as Mediators," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-16, March.
    13. Adriana Díez-Gómez & Alicia Pérez-Albéniz & Carla Sebastián-Enesco & Eduardo Fonseca-Pedrero, 2020. "Suicidal Behavior in Adolescents: A Latent Class Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-11, April.
    14. Sigita Lesinskienė & Odeta Kinčinienė & Rokas Šambaras & Emilijus Žilinskas, 2022. "Analysis of Attempted Suicide in a Pediatric Setting: Extracted Notes for Clinical Practice and Complexity of Help," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-9, July.
    15. Md Irteja Islam & Lisa Sharwood & Verity Chadwick & Tuguy Esgin & Alexandra Martiniuk, 2022. "Protective Factors against Self-Harm and Suicidality among Australian Indigenous Adolescents: A Strengths-Based Analysis of the Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-17, July.
    16. Tide Garnow & Eva-Lena Einberg & Anna-Karin Edberg & Pernilla Garmy, 2021. "Sadness and Other Health Complaints among Swedish Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-10, April.
    17. MacDonald, Sarah & Trubey, Rob & Noyes, Jane & Vinnicombe, Soo & Morgan, Helen E. & Willis, Simone & Boffey, Maria & Melendez-Torres, G.J. & Robling, Michael & Wooders, Charlotte & Evans, Rhiannon, 2024. "Mental health and wellbeing interventions for care-experienced children and young people: Systematic review and synthesis of process evaluations," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    18. Lindner, Abigail Rose & Hanlon, Ryan, 2024. "Outcomes of youth with foster care experiences based on permanency outcome – Adoption, aging out, long-term foster care, and reunification: A systematic review," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    19. Carla González-García & Alba Águila-Otero & Carme Montserrat & Susana Lázaro & Eduardo Martín & Jorge Fernandez del Valle & Amaia Bravo, 2022. "Subjective Well-Being of Young People in Therapeutic Residential Care from a Gender Perspective," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 15(1), pages 249-262, February.
    20. Prince, Dana M. & Ray-Novak, Meagan & Tossone, Krystel & Peterson, Emily & Gillani, Braveheart & Mintz, Laura, 2024. "Psychological comorbidities and suicidality in sexual and gender minority foster youth," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:158:y:2024:i:c:s0190740924000379. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/childyouth .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.