Depression, Suicide, and Strain: A Criminological Approach to Adolescent Suicidal Behavior

• In Event: Morality, Culture, and Anomie as Predictors of Individual Outcomes

Abstract

Strain has been widely tested for a variety of criminal offenders and across a wide array of criminal behaviors. I follow this tradition by testing premises of Agnew's General Strain Theory on a particularly relevant non-criminal adaptation to strain for juveniles - suicidal behavior. Importantly, I consider whether or not depression can explain the strain-suicidality link in a nationally representative sample of adolescents. Results show that strain predicts both depression and suicidal behavior, but depression only partly mediates the relationship between strain-suidality. These findings are robust across a variety of specifications and over an 18 month period. Results discussed with reference to the complexity of suicidal behavior among adolescents as well as the strong and predictive power of GST.

Author

• Gina Erickson, Hamline University