Summary: This study takes a look at the risk factors, disparities, and system involvement of suicidality and non-suicidal self-harm across youth in the United States.
Excerpt:
4.5.1. Foster Care System
In a 2006 study by Pilowsky and Wu, they found that youth aged 12 to 17 with a history of foster care placement were four times more likely than those without a history of foster care placement to have reported suicide attempts in the last 12 months [83]. A more recent study examining suicide and child protective system (CPS) involvement in California from 1999 to 2017 revealed that children and youth who were placed in foster care had almost 5 times the odds of suicide compared to children without any CPS involvement and those with any CPS involvement had 3.6 times high odds of suicide than those without CPS involvement [84]. Explanations for this increased risk can be attributed to many of the antecedents to suicidality mentioned above, including reduced social support, traumatic experiences, maltreatment, and mental health challenges that are exacerbated among system-involved youth [85–87].
Application: In order to develop strategies to address suicidality and self-harm, we need to better understand the causes, risk factors, prevalence rates across minority groups, and what interventions are currently being used. This resource can be useful for both child welfare and mental health professionals and leaders as they seek to address this issue in their own area.
Source: Children journal
