Youth suicide risk factors and attitudes in New York and Vienna: a cross-cultural comparison

Suicide Life Threat Behav. 2006 Oct;36(5):539-52. doi: 10.1521/suli.2006.36.5.539.

Abstract

The prevalence of suicide risk factors and attitudes about suicide and help-seeking among New York and Viennese adolescents were compared in order to explore possible cross-cultural differences. Viennese adolescents exhibited higher rates of depressive symptomatology than their New York counterparts and had more first-hand experience with suicidal peers. More attribution of suicide to mental illness was reported in Vienna; yet Viennese youth were less likely than New York adolescents to recognize the seriousness of suicide threats. Help-seeking patterns of Viennese adolescents were influenced by their setting a high value on confidentiality. These cross-cultural differences may reflect the limited exposure of Austrian youth to school-based suicide prevention programs. The findings highlight the need of taking the sociocultural context into consideration in the planning of youth suicide prevention strategies.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Austria / epidemiology
  • Cross-Cultural Comparison*
  • Depression / ethnology
  • Female
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • New York / epidemiology
  • Patient Acceptance of Health Care
  • Peer Group
  • Risk Factors
  • School Health Services
  • Sex Factors
  • Substance-Related Disorders / ethnology
  • Suicide / ethnology*
  • Suicide / psychology
  • Suicide Prevention*