Ethological Problems with the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide

Toward a Public Health Approach to Farmer Suicide Prevention: The Potential Power of Systems Change

OBJECTIVE

Suicide among farmers has, over the past 20 years, garnered attention from scholars around the world. The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, this paper will present a framework for considering farmer suicide that builds upon the Interpersonal-Psychological Theory of Suicidal Behavior and extends our current explanations of suicide to include a multilevel, multifactorial focus on individual, interpersonal, community and systemic factors at the root of stressors contributing to suicide among farmers. Secondly, a blueprint for farmer suicide prevention, leveraging the Water of Systems Change Model, is proposed.

METHOD

In the spirit of conveying multi-layered influence on farmer suicide while highlighting relevant levels for prevention a parsimonious, prevention-based model of farmer suicide is presented.

RESULTS

The Water of Systems Change (WSC) model incorporates research to bring attention to the community, organizational, and societal conditions that keep a problem, such as farmer suicide, from being eradicated.

CONCLUSION

Suicide is a societal issue that requires a multi-level response. Farmer suicide is a particular concern, as farmers provide for and support all of us. It is incumbent upon public health and the community-at-large to improve our policies, systems, and contexts to create an environment in which farmers are also provided for and supported.

School Connectedness and Suicide Among High School Youth: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Suicide is a leading cause of death for adolescents, and school connectedness is a potential, modifiable protective factor for suicide. We sought to examine if school connectedness protected against suicide among high school students and if potential moderators affected the relationship between school connectedness and suicide.

METHODS

We searched online databases (PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO) on December 12, 2021, for studies that examined the effects of school connectedness on suicide among high school students.

RESULTS

This systematic review identified 34 studies that examined the effects of school connectedness on adolescent suicidality. Results indicated mixed findings of school connectedness on suicidality. Among studies that assessed a suicide ideation outcome, 73.3% found that school connectedness protected against suicide. Among studies that assessed a suicide attempts outcome, 50% found that school connectedness protected against suicide. Most included studies did not control for notable variables in their final models, such as sleep, impulsivity, substance use, or depression. No studies examined moderators of school connectedness and suicide.

CONCLUSIONS

School connectedness is somewhat protective of suicidality, and more protective of suicidal ideation than suicide attempts. Researchers should examine the construct of school connectedness among modern youth to better understand school connectedness and suicide.