Sexual Orientation and Bullying Among Adolescents in the Growing Up Today Study

PurposeTo examine the relationship between sexual orientation and past-year reports of bullying victimization and perpetration in a large sample of American youth.MethodsSurvey data from 7,559 adolescents aged 14–22 who responded to the 2001 wave questionnaire of the Growing Up Today Study were examined cross-sectionally. Multivariable generalized estimating equations regression was performed using the modified Poisson method. We examined associations between sexual orientation and past-year bully victimization and perpetration with heterosexuals as the referent group, stratifying by gender and controlling for age, race/ethnicity, and weight status.ResultsCompared to heterosexual males, mostly heterosexual males (risk ratio [RR]: 1.45; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.13, 1.86) and gay males (RR 1.98; CI: 1.39, 2.82) were more likely to report being bullied. Similarly, mostly heterosexual females (RR: 1.72, 95% CI: 1.45, 2.03), bisexual females (RR: 1.63, 95% CI: 1.14, 2.31), and lesbians (RR: 3.36, 95% CI: 1.76, 6.41) were more likely to report being bullied than were heterosexual females. Gay males (RR: 0.34, 95% CI: 0.14, 0.84) were much less likely to report bullying others than were heterosexual males. Mostly heterosexual females (RR: 1.70, 95% CI: 1.42, 2.04) and bisexual females (RR: 2.41, 95% CI: 1.80, 3.24) were more likely to report bullying others than heterosexual females. No lesbian participants reported bullying others.ConclusionsThere are significant differences in reports of bullying victimization and perpetration between heterosexual and sexual minority youth. Clinicians should inquire about sexual orientation and bullying, and coordinate care for youth who may need additional support.     

Victims of Bullying Among Students With a Disability or Chronic Illness and Their Peers: A Cross-National Study Between Ireland and France

PurposeTo explore bullying victimization among French and Irish students with a disability or chronic illness (D/CI), considering individual, social, and family factors. We investigated this issue in France and Ireland because of the documented differences between these two countries on relevant contextual factors.MethodsData from 12,048 students aged 11, 13, and 15 years (50.1% were boys) as part of the cross-national study 2006 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children were analyzed. Self-completion questionnaires were administered in classrooms; information on socio-demographic characteristics, bullying involvement, D/CI, school participation, social network, and family were collected. Multivariate logistic regressions were performed with individual, social, and family cofactors.ResultsOverall, the prevalence of bullying victimization was significantly higher in France compared with Ireland (34.2% [33.1–35.5] and 25.9% [24.5–27.4, respectively]). Youngest were more likely to report victimization; however, no gender differences were observed. In both countries, students with D/CI were significantly more likely to report that they have been bullied compared with students without D/CI, and a significant additional risk of being bullied was found when students reported D/CI with restriction in school participation. Regardless of country and D/CI status, being bullied was significantly associated with weaker social support and difficulty of communication with fathers, with even stronger associations found among students with D/CI.ConclusionAdolescents with D/CI are more likely to be victimized than their peers, with a similar risk in both countries. Besides individual, social and family factors are consistently associated to bullying victimization across countries. These results will guide future antibullying prevention programs.     

中学生自杀意念与受欺侮经历现状及相关关系

目的 探讨中学生自杀意念与受同学欺侮经历的现况及相关关系，为开展相关研究及干预提供依据。方法 采用《青少年生活环境与心理健康量表》中国版对普通中学初、高中学生851名进行横断面调查，通过t检验、Logiatic回归等方法分析其相关关系。结果 17．3％的中学生在过去1个月中有过自杀的想法，23．6％的中学生在过去1a中曾被同学欺侮。自杀意念与受同学欺侮的经历呈正相关。被暴力伤害、威胁的经历与男生的自杀意念呈正相关；而对女生而言，被语言伤害是自杀意念的预测因素。结论 中学生产生自杀意念与受同学欺侮的现象都不少见，而且二间存在正相关关系。在进行心理干预时应考虑到这种相关性，同时注意性别差异。     

The association between bullying and psychological health among senior high school students in Ghana, West Africa

BACKGROUND: School‐based bullying, a global challenge, negatively impacts the health and development of both victims and perpetrators. This study examined the relationship between bullying victimization and selected psychological variables among senior high school (SHS) students in Ghana, West Africa. METHODS: This study utilized data from the 2008 Ghana Global School‐based Student Health Survey (GSHS). Prevalence rates of being bullied (95% confidence intervals [CI]) were calculated by each demographic group, as well as each psychological variable. Multiple logistic regression was used to model the relationship of being bullied (physical/nonphysical) on the linear combination of demographic variables. RESULTS: A total of 7137 students participated in the 2008 GSHS with 40.1% reporting being bullied. Senior high school‐level 1 (lowest grade) students were 3 (95% CI: 2.45‐3.68) times more likely to be bullied compared with SHS level 3 (highest grade) students. Victims of bullying were significantly more likely to report negative psychological health compared with those who reported not being bullied. Odds ratios were as follows: signs of depression, 1.97 (95% CI: 1.75‐2.21); suicide ideation, 1.72 (95% CI: 1.45‐2.05); being so worried that it affects sleep, 2.10 (95% CI: 1.77‐2.49); and loneliness, 1.82 (95% CI: 1.49‐2.22). There was no significant difference in self‐reports of negative psychological health when comparing students who experienced physical forms with those who were bullied in nonphysical ways. CONCLUSION: Bullying victimization is a major problem among SHS students. We recommend strengthening of existing proactive anti‐bullying programs by taking into account the association between bullying and the psychological health of students.     

毕节试验区初中生欺凌受害心理素质与自杀意念的关系

  目的  探讨初中生欺凌受害、心理素质和自杀意念之间的关系,为校园欺凌防治和青少年自杀预防提供参考依据。  方法  采用Olweus儿童欺负问卷、中学生心理素质问卷和自杀意念问卷,对整群抽取的毕节试验区5所初级中学的3 635名七至九年级学生进行问卷调查。  结果   毕节试验区初中生欺凌受害的检出率为28.34%,言语欺凌、关系欺凌、身体欺凌的检出率分别为22.59%,12.05%和7.54%,不同性别学生欺凌受害及言语、关系、身体欺凌的检出率差异均有统计学意义(χ2值分别为88.92,94.29,7.69,P值均 < 0.01)。欺凌受害与自杀意念之间呈正相关(r=0.21),两者与心理素质均呈负相关(r值分别为-0.17,-0.22)(P值均 < 0.01)。在欺凌受害与自杀意念的关系中,心理素质的调节作用有统计学意义(β=-0.04, P < 0.05)。  结论  心理素质能缓冲欺凌受害对自杀意念的影响,应重视心理素质教育在维护青少年心理健康中的关键作用。     

Relationship of being threatened or injured with a weapon in school with suicidal ideation and attempt among school students: a school-based study in Zhejiang Province,China

Background

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among 15–29?year old youths globally, and the third most common external cause of death in China. School bullying can cause serious consequences among adolescents, including psychosocial problems, low self-esteem and post-traumatic stress disorder. Most studies examining the associations between being bullied in school and suicide are from Western, developed countries. Moreover, few studies focus on being threatened or injured with a weapon, which may cause serious body injury. Our study aimed to explore the relationship of being threatened or injured with a weapon in school with suicidal ideation and attempt among middle and high school students in Zhejiang Province, China.

Methods

A cross-sectional study of 23,543 students in grades 7–12 from 442 schools was carried out through an anonymous self-administered questionnaire between April and May 2017. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine the relationship of being threatened or injured with a weapon in school with suicidal ideation and attempt.

Results

51.3% of participants were boys, and mean (SD) age was 15.6 (1.7) years. The overall prevalence of suicidal ideation and attempt were 16.1% (95%CI: 15.3–16.9) and 3.6% (95%CI: 3.3–4.0), respectively. Prevalence was higher among girls than boys (ideation: 19.1% vs. 13.3%. attempt: 4.4% vs. 2.9%). 13.2% of students reported being threatened or injured with a weapon in school in the past 12?months (95%CI: 11.9–14.5), higher among boys than girls (15.7% vs. 10.5%), and among rural students than urban students (13.9% vs. 11.6%). After adjustment for socio-demographic status, lifestyle factors, academic performance, self-reported health and mental health, the odds ratios for suicidal ideation and attempt among students who reported being threatened or injured with a weapon were 1.46 (1.31–1.61) and 1.68 (1.31–2.13) respectively, as compared with those who did not report being threatened or injured.

Conclusions

Preventive measures for physical bullying in school need to be reinforced in China. Being threatened or injured with a weapon is associated with both suicidal ideation and attempt among middle and high school students. Suicide prevention should be an important component of psychological interventions for threatened or injured students.

     

Association between sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and depression and suicidal ideation among Korean adults: a cross-sectional study from the 2014 and 2016 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES)

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVESSugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are regarded as modifiable risk factors for mental health in several populations. Although the consumption of SSBs is steadily increasing in Korea, there is scant evidence regarding the impact of SSB consumption on depression and suicidal ideation. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of SSB consumption with depression and suicidal ideation among adults in Korea.SUBJECTS/METHODSWe used the data for 5,465 participants (2,170 men and 3,295 women) aged ≥ 20 years from the 2014 and 2016 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The subjects were divided into four groups according to SSB consumption using a food frequency questionnaire. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the association of SSB consumption with depression and suicidal ideation, adjusting for sociodemographic, health behavior, and dietary variables.RESULTSParticipants consuming ≥ 1 SSB/day had a significantly higher risk of depression (odds ratio [OR], 1.54; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08–2.18; P < 0.001) and suicidal ideation (OR, 2.20; 95% CI, 1.13–4.28; P < 0.001) compared with those in the non-SSB group after adjusting for potential confounding factors.CONCLUSIONSOur results suggest that SSB consumption is positively associated with depression and suicidal ideation in Korean adults.     

Revictimization Is Associated With Higher Cardiometabolic Risk in Sexual Minority Women

ObjectivesAlthough there is evidence that interpersonal trauma is associated with cardiometabolic risk in women, previous studies have not assessed the potential role of revictimization (victimization in both childhood and adulthood) among sexual minority women.MethodsWe used data from the Chicago Health and Life Experiences of Women study to examine the associations of revictimization (including physical, sexual, and any revictimization) with self-reported psychosocial factors, health behaviors, and cardiometabolic risk factors (e.g., obesity, hypertension, and diabetes). We tested multiple logistic regression models, adjusted for covariates, to estimate odds ratios of the associations between revictimization and cardiometabolic risk.ResultsThe sample included 615 sexual minority women with a mean age of 40.0 years; 38.7% White. Eighty-three (13.5%) and 101 (16.4%) participants reported experiencing sexual revictimization and physical revictimization, respectively. Each form of revictimization was associated with higher odds of reporting lifetime depression and recent binge eating, but lower odds of having high social support. Physical revictimization was associated with higher odds of obesity (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 2.38; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.38–4.10) and hypertension (AOR, 3.31; 95% CI, 1.70–6.46). Similarly, participants who reported any revictimization were more likely to have obesity (AOR, 2.36; 95% CI, 1.42–3.92) and hypertension (AOR, 2.60; 95% CI, 1.31–5.26). No form of revictimization was associated with a higher odds of diabetes.ConclusionsThe higher odds of obesity and hypertension observed among sexual minority women who reported revictimization reinforce the need for early interventions to reduce cardiometabolic risk in this vulnerable population.     

Elevated Prevalence of Suicide Attempts among Victims of Police Violence in the USA

Recent evidence suggests that police victimization is widespread in the USA and psychologically impactful. We hypothesized that civilian-reported police victimization, particularly assaultive victimization (i.e., physical/sexual), would be associated with a greater prevalence of suicide attempts and suicidal ideation. Data were drawn from the Survey of Police-Public Encounters, a population-based survey of adults (N = 1615) residing in four US cities. Surveys assessed lifetime exposure to police victimization based on the World Health Organization domains of violence (i.e., physical, sexual, psychological, and neglect), using the Police Practices Inventory. Logistic regression models tested for associations between police victimization and (1) past 12-month suicide attempts and (2) past 12-month suicidal ideation, adjusted for demographic factors (i.e., gender, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, income), crime involvement, past intimate partner and sexual victimization exposure, and lifetime mental illness. Police victimization was associated with suicide attempts but not suicidal ideation in adjusted analyses. Specifically, odds of attempts were greatly increased for respondents reporting assaultive forms of victimization, including physical victimization (odds ratio = 4.5), physical victimization with a weapon (odds ratio = 10.7), and sexual victimization (odds ratio = 10.2). Assessing for police victimization and other violence exposures may be a useful component of suicide risk screening in urban US settings. Further, community-based efforts should be made to reduce the prevalence of exposure to police victimization.     

Association of Child Marriage With Suicidal Thoughts and Attempts Among Adolescent Girls in Ethiopia

PurposeLittle information exists on the mental health implications of child marriage in Africa. This study examined the association between child marriage and suicidal ideation and suicide attempt among girls aged 10–17 years.MethodsData were drawn from a 2007 cross-sectional survey conducted in the Amhara region, Ethiopia. Multilevel logistic regression was used to analyze risk factors for suicidality.ResultsApproximately 5.2% of girls reported ever being married, 5.4% were promised in marriage, and 9.3% reported receiving marriage requests. Girls who were ever married (odds ratio [OR] = 1.81; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.03–3.18), were promised in marriage (OR = 2.35; 95% CI = 1.38–4.01) or had received marriage requests (OR = 2.29; 95% CI = 1.46–3.59) were significantly more likely than girls who were never in the marriage process to have had suicidal thoughts in the past 3 months. Residence in communities with high involvement in stopping child marriage was protective of suicidal ideation. The odds of suicide attempt were twice as high among girls with marriage requests as among those with none.ConclusionsChild marriage was associated with increased odds of suicidality. Findings call for stronger community engagement in child marriage prevention and mental health support for child brides.     

The Effects of Asthma and Bullying on Suicidal Behaviors Among US Adolescents

BACKGROUND

Positive associations between suicidal behaviors and asthma have been established in previous adolescent studies. Few studies consider social risk factors, such as bullying. This study involved an analysis of suicidal behaviors and asthma, but also includes an assessment of whether these relationships were modified by the co‐occurrence of bullying.

METHODS

Data included 13,154 participants from the 2013 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), collected by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Logistic regression models were constructed and summarized using odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs).

RESULTS

When comparing adolescents with asthma who were bullied at school to those who were not bullied at school, the odds of contemplating suicide were increased by nearly 2‐fold (OR = 1.8, 95% CI = 1.5‐2.3), and the odds of creating a suicide plan were 2.3 times higher (OR = 2.3, 95% CI = 1.7‐3.1). The odds of a suicide attempt and incurring an injury from a suicide attempt were also substantially increased. Similarly, increased odds of suicidal behaviors were observed for adolescents with asthma who were bullied electronically.

CONCLUSION

Having asthma and being bullied are both associated with increased odds of suicidal behaviors.

     

Parental intention regarding the administration of the HPV vaccine for adolescent daughters in Taiwan

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to investigate parental intention regarding the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination for adolescent daughters. Parents or guardians of adolescent girls, aged 12–14 years, from junior high schools in Taiwan participated and completed a HPV vaccination intention survey based on the Theory of Planned Behavior. The survey was conducted from October to November, 2009. Most, 78%, of the respondents reported a high intention to vaccinate daughters against HPV. A high intention of vaccination was associated with a family history of gynecological tumors (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 2.22, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.10–4.51) and HPV awareness (adjusted OR: 2.33, 95% CI: 1.45–3.76). Higher parental intention was reported by respondents with a positive attitude toward the HPV vaccine (adjusted OR: 6.83, 95% CI: 4.16–11.22), perceived greater influence of subjective norms (adjusted OR: 121.23, 95% CI: 42.69–344.21), greater perceived behavioral control (adjusted OR: 67.69, 95% CI: 16.40–279.41), and perceived that the vaccine had limited influence on adolescent sexual behavior (adjusted OR: 2.24, 95% CI: 1.41–3.78). Health-care professionals must be knowledgeable about the HPV and actively promote vaccination among adolescent girls. Improvements in vaccination can be achieved through recommendations by physicians and nurses.     

Associations of Lesbian,Gay, Bisexual,Transgender, and Questioning–Inclusive Sex Education With Mental Health Outcomes and School-Based Victimization in U.S. High School Students

Purpose

Homophobic school climates are related to increased victimization for sexual minority youth (SMY), leading to increased risk of adverse mental health outcomes. Interventions that promote positive school climate may reduce the risk of victimization and adverse mental health outcomes in SMY. This study explored whether lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ)–inclusive sex education is associated with adverse mental health and school-based victimization in U.S. youth.

Application of an intersectional framework to understanding the association of disability and sexual orientation with suicidal ideation among Oregon Teens

BackgroundSuicide is the second leading cause of death among U.S. youth. Prior research has found that disability and sexual orientation are each independently associated with suicide risk. However, most analyses regarding sexual orientation or disability in relation to teenagers’ health have isolated the effects of these identities via multiple regression models. That approach assumes there is no multiplicative or synergistic effect between the two identities.ObjectiveTo examine the association between suicidal ideation and the intersection of disability and sexual orientation.MethodsCross-sectional data from the 2015 Oregon Healthy Teens Survey were analyzed using Poisson regression analysis with robust variance to estimate the relationship between the intersection of disability and sexual orientation and youth reports of suicidal ideation. We calculated three measures of interaction: 1) the excess risk due to interaction (RERI); 2) the proportion attributable to interaction (AP); and 3) the synergy index (SI).ResultsSexual minority teenagers with disabilities had higher risk of suicidal ideation (adjusted relative risk [ARR] = 2.82, 95% CI: 2.47–3.21) with respect to heterosexual teenagers without disabilities. The risk was also elevated, to a lesser degree, for heterosexual youth with disabilities (ARR = 1.97, 95% CI: 1.78–2.19) and LGB youth without disabilities (ARR = 2.17, 95% CI: 1.95–2.42) with respect to the reference group. Our measures of interaction were indicative of a synergistic effect between disability and sexual orientation.ConclusionsOur findings suggest the combination of disability and minority sexual orientation may be associated with compounded negative experiences that could exacerbate the risk of suicide.     

童年期虐待的不同形式与中学生自杀行为关联性研究

目的 探讨不同形式的童年期虐待与中学生自杀行为的关系。方法 采用分层整群抽样的方法,以广州、新乡、沈阳和重庆4个地区14221名中学生为研究对象,使用问卷调查了解一般人口统计学指标、心理问题症状、童年期虐待经历及自杀行为等信息,建立多因素logistic回归模型,分析不同形式的童年期虐待对自杀行为发生的影响。结果 中学生童年期总体虐待、躯体虐待、情感虐待、性虐待、自杀意念、自杀计划和自杀未遂的检出人数(率)分别为7246(51.0%)、5824(41.0%)、5409(38.0%)、1039(7.3%)、2042(14.4%)、1174(8.3%)和548(3.9%)。男生躯体虐待的检出率高于女生,女生情感虐待和自杀意念的检出率高于男生,组间差异有统计学意义(P<0.01);童年期性虐待、自杀计划和自杀未遂的检出率在不同性别间的差异无统计学意义(P>0.01)。控制相关混杂因素的作用后,童年期虐待经历会增加男生自杀意念(OR=2.03,95%CI:1.72~2.40)和自杀计划(OR=1.93,95%CI:1.57~2.37)的发生风险,增加女生自杀意念(OR=2.45,95%CI:2.12~2.82)、自杀计划(OR=2.46,95%CI:2.02~3.00)和自杀未遂(OR=2.12,95%CI:1.61~2.78)的发生风险。除童年期躯体虐待与男生自杀未遂外,不同类型的童年期虐待均是男女中学生自杀行为发生的危险因素(P<0.01)。随着童年期虐待种类数的增加,男女生自杀行为的发生风险亦呈增高趋势(P<0.01)。持续受虐以及施虐人为父母/其他的中学生,自杀行为的发生风险显著增加。结论 童年期虐待经历是中学生自杀行为发生的重要危险因素。     

广州市中学生网络成瘾与自杀相关行为的关系

了解中学生网络成瘾与自杀意念和自杀尝试的关系,为中学生自杀行为干预提供依据.方法 应用二阶段分层整群抽样方法,采用自编青少年健康知识问卷、Young网络成瘾量表、流调中心抑郁量表(CES-D)、Olweus儿童欺负问卷,于2016年11-12月对广州市3 229名初、高中学生进行匿名调查,使用Logistic回归模型分析网络成瘾与自杀行为的关系.结果 中学生网络成瘾报告率为14.68%,过去12个月自杀意念、自杀尝试的报告率分别为12.51%和2.04%.调整一般人口学因素后,网络成瘾与自杀意念和自杀尝试的关联OR值分别为3.88(95%CI=3.04~ 4.96)和2.42(95%CI=1.41~4.13),均有统计学意义;引入抑郁和欺负行为后,网络成瘾和自杀意念OR值下降至2.58(95%CI=1.99~3.34) (P<0.05),而与自杀尝试的关联无统计学意义.结论 中学生网络成瘾与自杀意念和自杀尝试均存在关联,可能由抑郁和欺负行为介导.中学生的网络成瘾和自杀问题应引起重视.     

Bullying and Symptoms of Depression in Chilean Middle School Students

BACKGROUND:  The goal of this study was to assess the association between bullying and symptoms of depression among middle school students in Chile.
METHODS:  Secondary data analysis of Chile's 2004 Global School-Based Health Survey.
RESULTS:  A total of 8131 middle school students participated in the study. Forty-seven percent of students reported having been bullied in the past month and 30% reported having been sad and hopeless for 2 or more weeks in the past year. Students in the seventh and eighth grades were more likely to report having been bullied in the past month than students in ninth grade. Ninth grade students reported higher levels of loneliness, difficulty sleeping, and suicidal thoughts than students in the seventh and eighth grades. Boys were more likely than girls to report being bullied in the past month, but girls were more likely than boys to report symptoms of depression, such as prolonged feelings of sadness and hopelessness, loneliness, difficulty sleeping, and suicidal thoughts. Students who reported being bullied in the past month were more likely than nonbullied students to report symptoms of depression. A higher number of days of being bullied in the past month was associated with a statistically significant increase in reported rates of sadness and hopelessness (p < .001).
CONCLUSIONS:  Bullying is common among middle school children in Chile, and bullying and symptoms of depression are strongly linked. This finding is consistent with studies of bullying and depression in adolescents from other parts of the world.     

Suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in a nationwide sample of operational Norwegian ambulance personnel

This is the first paper on suicidal ideation and attempts among ambulance personnel. This study aimed to investigate levels of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among ambulance personnel, and to identify important correlates and the factors to which ambulance personnel attribute their serious suicidal ideation. A comprehensive nationwide questionnaire survey of 1,180 operational ambulance personnel was conducted. Measurements included: Paykel's Suicidal Feelings in the General Population questionnaire, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale, the Subjective Health Complaints Questionnaire, the Maslach Burnout Inventory, the Job Satisfaction Scale, the Basic Character Inventory, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Lifetime prevalence ranged from 28% for feelings that life was not worth living to 10.4% for seriously considered suicide and 3.1% for a suicide attempt. Serious suicidal ideation was independently associated with job-related emotional exhaustion (feelings of being overextended and depleted of resources) (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.1-2.0) and bullying at work (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.02-2.7), younger age, not married/cohabitant, depression symptoms, low self-esteem and the personality trait reality weakness. In general, suicidal thoughts were hardly attributable to working conditions, since only 1.8% of ambulance personnel attributed suicidal ideation to work problems alone. In conclusion, ambulance personnel reported a moderate level of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. Although serious suicidal ideation was rarely attributed to working conditions in general, this study suggests that job-related factors like emotional exhaustion and bullying may be of importance.     

Association Between Parental Marital Status and Types of Suicidal Behavior Among Korean Adolescents: A Cross-sectional Study

ObjectivesAdolescent suicide is a global problem. This study aimed to identify associations between parental marital status and suicidal behavior.MethodsThis study analyzed 118 715 middle and high school students from the 13th and 14th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey. The odds ratios (ORs) of suicidal ideation, planning, and attempts were calculated based on parental marital status, living situation, and socioeconomic factors. The data were analyzed using multiple logistic regression.ResultsWhen compared to those living with 2 married biological parents, the ORs of suicidal ideation among adolescents living with either remarried or no parents were 1.34 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.17 to 1.53) and 1.36 (95% CI, 1.11 to 1.66), respectively. For suicidal planning, the OR of those living with 1 remarried biological parent was 1.24 (95% CI, 1.01 to 1.52), and that of those living without parents was 1.28 (95% CI, 0.95 to 1.73), when compared to adolescents living with 2 married biological parents. For suicide attempts, when compared to adolescents with 2 married biological parents, the OR of those living with 1 remarried biological parent was 1.48 (95% CI, 1.17 to 1.87) and that of those living without parents was 2.02 (95% CI, 1.44 to 2.83). For adolescents living with 1 remarried biological parent, suicidal behavior was strongly associated with having no siblings and were weakly associated with not living with grandparents.ConclusionsSuicidal behavior among adolescents was associated with the remarriage and loss of parents. Therefore, special attention and interventions are needed for adolescents in those situations.