Asian Research Association
Submit Paper     Membership

Articles

Volume 6, Issue 3, Year 2023
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54392/ajir2333

Suicide Risk Assessment in a Modern Asian Adolescent Community: A Cultural-relevant Perspective

  • Gideon Qinxian Guo
Gideon Qinxian Guo
Clinical Director, Hope Education and Therapy Institute (Asia), Singapore

Dimensions

Plum Analytics

Abstract

Suicide is a serious social and psychological issue that has a devastating socio-economic impact globally. However, it remains elusive as mental health professionals grapple to formulate effective assessment and intervention strategies. Particularly, there is a dearth of cultural-relevant suicide risk assessment scales as most instruments were developed in Western culture. Even with translation and linguistic equivalence, present suicide risk assessment scales do not encompass culturally salient and relevant psychological constructs. This study adopted a socio-cultural approach to develop a suicide risk assessment with sound psychometric properties and also to capture the cultural-specific symptomatology of suicide as well as depressive Asians.

Keywords

  • Assessment,
  • Culture,
  • Collectivistic,
  • Depression,
  • Psychometric,
  • Suicide
    • ...More
    Less
PDF

References

  1. Arafat, S., Saleem, T., Menon, V., Ali, S., Baminiwatta, A., Kar, S., Hasina A., Singh, R. (2022). Depression and suicidal behavior in South Asia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Global Mental Health, 9, 181-192. https://doi.org/10.1017/gmh.2022.20
  2. American Psychiatric Association. (2013) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, American Psychiatric Publishing, Arlington. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596
  3. Amelia M. Arria, Kevin E. O'Grady, Kimberly M. Caldeira, Kathryn B. Vincent, Holly C. Wilcox & Eric D. Wish (2009) Suicide Ideation among College Students: A Multivariate Analysis, Archives of Suicide Research, 13(2) 230-246. https://doi.org/10.1080/13811110903044351
  4. Bachmann, S. (2018). Epidemiology of suicide and the psychiatric perspective. International journal of environmental research and public health, 15(7), 1425. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15071425
  5. Berrios, G.E., Bulbena, A., Bakshi, N., Dening, T.R., Jenaway, A., Markar, H., R. Martin s., Mitchell, S.L. (1992). Feelings of guilt in major depression: Conceptual and psychometric aspects. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 160(6), 781-787. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.160.6.781
  6. Bi, B., Xiao X., Zhang H., Gao J., Tao M., Niu H., Wang, Y., Wang, Q., Chen, C., Sun, N., Li, K., Fu, J., Gan, Z., Sang, W., Zhang, G., Yang, L., Tian, T., Li, Q., Yang, Q., Sun, L., Ying Li, Rong, H., Guan, C., Zhao, X., Ye, D., Zhang, Y., Ma, Z., Li, H., He, K., Chen, J., Cai, Y., Zhou, C., Luo, Y., Wang, S., Gao, S., Liu, J., Guo, L., Guan, J., Kang, Z., Di, D., Yajuan Li, Shi, S., Yihan Li, Chen, Y., Flint, J., Kendler, K., Liu Y. (2012). A comparison of the clinical characteristics of women with recurrent major depression with and without suicidal symptomatology. Psychological medicine, 42(12), 2591-2598. https://doi.org/10.1017/S003329171200058X
  7. Bridge, J. A., Asti, L., Horowitz, L. M., Greenhouse, J. B., Fontanella, C. A., Sheftall, A. H., Kelly J.K., Campo, J. V. (2015). Suicide trends among elementary school–aged children in the United States from 1993 to 2012. JAMA pediatrics, 169(7), 673-677. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2015.0465
  8. Bronfenbrenner, U. (1977). Toward an experimental ecology of human development. American Psychologist, 32(7), 513–531. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0003-066X.32.7.513
  9. Cavanagh, J.T., Carson, A.J., Sharpe, M.C., & Lawrie, S.M. (2003). Psychological autopsy studies of suicide: a systematic review. Psychological Medicine, 33, 395 - 405. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291702006943
  10. Chang, W.C. (1985). A cross-cultural study of depressive symptomology. Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry, 9(3), 295–317. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00048503
  11. Chang, W.C., & Koh, J.B. (2012). A measure of depression in a modern asian community: singapore. Depression research and treatment, 2012, 691945. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/691945
  12. Cooper, J., Kapur, N., Webb, R., Lawlor, M., Guthrie, E., Mackway-Jones, K., & Appleby, L. (2005). Suicide after deliberate self-harm: A 4-year cohort study. The American journal of psychiatry, 162(2), 297-303. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.162.2.297
  13. Czyz, E. K., Berona, J., & King, C. A. (2015). A prospective examination of the interpersonal-psychological theory of suicidal behavior among psychiatric adolescent inpatients. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 45(2), 243–259. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/sltb.12125
  14. Essau, C.A., & Chang, W.C. (2009). Epidemiology, comorbidity and course of adolescent depression. In C. A. Essau (Ed.), Treatments for Adolescent Depression. Oxford: Oxford University Press, England. https://doi.org/10.1093/med:psych/9780199226504.001.0001
  15. Fleischmann, A., & De Leo, D. (2014). The World Health Organization’s report on suicide: a fundamental step in worldwide suicide prevention, Hogrefe. https://doi.org/10.1027/0227-5910/a000293
  16. Franklin, J.C., Ribeiro, J.D., Fox, K.R., Bentley, K.H., Kleiman, E.M., Huang, X., Musacchio, K.M., Jaroszewski, A.C., Chang, B.P., & Nock, M.K. Nock, M.K. (2017). Risk factors for suicidal thoughts and behaviors: A meta-analysis of 50 years of research. Psychological bulletin, 143(2), 187–232. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/bul0000084
  17. Gau, S.S., Chen, C.H., Lee, C.T., Chang, J.C., & Cheng, A.T. (2009). Development of a Chinese version of the Suicide Intent Scale. Suicide & life-threatening behavior, 39(3), 332–342. https://doi.org/10.1521/suli.2009.39.3.332
  18. Gratz, K.L., Tull, M.T., Richmond, J.R., Edmonds, K.A., Scamaldo, K.M., & Rose, J. P. (2020). Thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness explain the associations of COVID-19 social and economic consequences to suicide risk. Suicide and Life Threatening Behavior, 50(6), 1140-1148. https://doi.org/10.1111/sltb.12654
  19. Groholt, B., Ekeberg, O., Wichstrom, L., & Haldorsen, T. (1998). Suicide among children and younger and older adolescents in Norway: A comparative study. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 37(5), 473-481. https://doi.org/10.1097/00004583-199805000-00008
  20. Hawton, K., van Heeringen, K., (2009). Suicide. Lancet 373(9672), 1372–1381. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(09)60372-X
  21. Hawton, K., Witt, K.G., Salisbury, T.L.T., Arensman, E., Gunnell, D., Hazell, P., Ellem, T., & van Heeringen, K. (2016). Psychosocial interventions following self-harm in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The Lancet Psychiatry, 3(8), 740-750. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(16)30070-0
  22. Haynes, S.N., & Lench, H.C. (2003). Incremental validity of new clinical assessment measures. Psychological assessment, 15(4), 456–466. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/1040-3590.15.4.456
  23. Heaney, C.A., & Israel, B.A. (2008). Social networks and social support. In K. Glanz, B. K. Rimer, & K. Viswanath (Eds.), Health behavior and health education: Theory, research, and practice , Jossey-Bass, 189–210
  24. Holmstrand, C., Bogren, M., Mattisson, C., & Bradvik, L. (2015). Long term suicide risk in no, one or more mental disorders: The Lundby Study 1947–1997. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 132(6), 459–469. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/1040-3590.15.4.456
  25. Iwata, N., & Buka, S. (2002). Race/ethnicity and depressive symptoms: a cross-cultural/ethnic comparison among university students in East Asia, North and South America. Social science & medicine (1982), 55(12), 2243–2252. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0277-9536(02)00003-5
  26. Kendler, K., Kupfer, D., Narrow, W., Phillips, K., Fawcett, J., (2009). Guidelines for Making Changes to DSM-V Revised 10/21/09. American Psychiatric Association, Washington.
  27. King, C.A., & Merchant, C.R. (2008). Social and interpersonal factors relating to adolescent suicidality: a review of the literature. Archives of suicide research, 12(3), 181–196. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0277-9536(02)00003-5
  28. Koh, J.B.K., Chang, W.C., Fung, D.S.S., & Kee, C.H.Y. (2001). Preliminary development of a culturally appropriate measure for Asian children’s depression. International perspectives on child and adolescent mental health, 2, 275–295. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1874-5911(02)80012-4
  29. Klonsky, E.D., & May, A.M. (2014). Differentiating suicide attempters from suicide ideators: a critical frontier for suicidology research. Suicide & life-threatening behavior, 44(1), 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1111/sltb.12068
  30. Kolves, K., & De Leo, D. (2017). Suicide methods in children and adolescents. European child & adolescent psychiatry, 26, 155-164. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-016-0865-y
  31. Lutwak, N., Razzino, B.E., & Ferrari, J.R. (1998). Self-perceptions and moral affect: An exploratory analysis of subcultural diversity in guilt and shame emotions. Journal of Social Behavior & Personality, 13(2), 333–348.
  32. Markus, H.R., & Kitayama, S. (1991). Culture and the self: Implications for cognition, emotion, and motivation. Psychological Review, 98(2), 224–253. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.98.2.224
  33. Miranda, R., Ortin, A., Scott, M., & Shaffer, D. (2014). Characteristics of suicidal ideation that predict the transition to future suicide attempts in adolescents. Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines, 55(11), 1288–1296. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.12245
  34. Nock, M.K., Borges, G., & Ono, Y. (2012). Suicide: Global perspectives from the WHO World Mental Health Surveys.Cambridge University Press, United Kingdom.
  35. Nock, M.K., Green, J.G., Hwang, I., McLaughlin, K.A., Sampson, N.A., Zaslavsky, A.M., & Kessler, R.C. (2013). Prevalence, correlates and treatment of lifetime suicidal behavior among adolescents: Results from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication – Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A). JAMA Psychiatry, 70, 300-310. https://doi.org/10.1001/2013.jamapsychiatry.55
  36. Pompili, M., Belvederi Murri, M., Patti, S., Innamorati, M., Lester, D., Girardi, P., & Amore, M. (2016). The communication of suicidal intentions: a meta-analysis. Psychological medicine, 46(11), 2239–2253. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291716000696
  37. Reinherz, H.Z., Tanner, J.L., Berger, S.R., Beardslee, W.R., & Fitzmaurice, G.M. (2006). Adolescent suicidal ideation is predictive of psychopathology, suicidal behavior, and compromised functioning at age 30. American Journal of Psychiatry, 163(7), 1226-1232. https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.2006.163.7.1226
  38. Stein, H.F. (1990). The story behind the clinical story: An inquiry into biomedical narrative. Family Systems Medicine, 8(2), 213–227. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/h0089309
  39. Sun, L., Zhou, C., Xu, L., Li, S., Kong, F., & Chu, J. (2017). Suicidal ideation, plans and attempts among medical college students in China: The effect of their parental characteristics. Psychiatry Research, 247, 139–143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2016.11.024
  40. Tangney, J.P. (2002). Self-conscious emotions: The self as a moral guide. In A. Tesser, D. A. Stapel, & J. V. Wood (Eds.), Self and motivation: Emerging psychological perspectives American Psychological Association. 97–117. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/10448-004
  41. Triandis, H.C. (1989). The self and social behavior in differing cultural contexts. Psychological Review, 96(3), 506–520. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.96.3.506
  42. Twenge, J.M., Cooper, A.B., Joiner, T.E., Duffy, M.E., & Binau, S.G. (2019). Age, period, and cohort trends in mood disorder indicators and suicide-related outcomes in a nationally representative dataset, 2005–2017. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 128(3), 185–199. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/abn0000410
  43. van Spijker, B.A., Batterham, P.J., Calear, A.L., Farrer, L., Christensen, H., Reynolds, J., Kerkhof J.F.M., (2014). The suicidal ideation attributes scale (SIDAS): a community-based validation study of a new scale for the measurement of suicidal ideation. Suicide Life Threat Behaviour, 44:408–19. https://doi.org/10.1111/sltb.12084
  44. Wong, Y.J., Kim, B.S., Nguyen, C.P., Cheng, J.K., & Saw, A. (2014). The interpersonal shame inventory for Asian Americans: scale development and psychometric properties. Journal of counseling psychology, 61(1), 119–132. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/a0034681
  45. Wolff, J.C., Davis, S., Liu, R.T., Cha, C.B., Cheek, S.M., Nestor, B.A., Elisabeth A. Frazier, Schaffer, M.M., Spirito, A. (2018). Trajectories of suicidal ideation among adolescents following psychiatric hospitalization. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 46, 355-363. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-017-0293-6
  46. World Health Organization Live Life: An Implementation Guide for Suicide Prevention in Countries 2021. Available online: https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/341726
  47. Ying, Y.W., Lee, P.A., Tsai, J.L., Yeh, Y.Y., Huang, J.S. (2000). The conception of depression in Chinese American college students. Cultur Divers Ethnic Minor Psychol, 6(2), 183-95. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/1099-9809.6.2.183
  48. Yu, H., Tian, H., Fang, T., Zhang, Q., Wang, L., Ma, X., Li, R., Cheng, L., & Zhuo, C. (2023). Validity and reliability of a Chinese language suicide screening questionnaire-observer rating (CL-SSQ-OR) assessment for children/adolescents. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1147161
  49. Zahn, R., Lythe, K. E., Gethin, J. A., Green, S., Deakin, J. F., Young, A. H., & Moll, J. (2015). The role of self-blame and worthlessness in the psychopathology of major depressive disorder. Journal of affective disorders, 186, 337–341. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2015.08.001
  50. Zhang, J., & Norvilitis, J.M. (2002). Measuring Chinese psychological well-being with Western-developed instruments. Journal of Personality Assessment, 79(3), 492–511. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327752JPA7903_06
  51. Zhang, J., Sun, L., Liu, Y., & Zhang, J. (2014). The change in suicide rates between 2002 and 2011 in China. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 44(5), 560-568. https://doi.org/10.1111/sltb.12090

Downloads

PDF

Article Details

Volume 6, Issue 3, Year 2023

DOI: 10.54392/ajir2333

Published 2023-08-16

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

How to Cite

Guo, Gideon Qinxian. “Suicide Risk Assessment in a Modern Asian Adolescent Community: A Cultural-Relevant Perspective”. Asian Journal of Interdisciplinary Research 6, no. 3 (August 16, 2023): 15–25. Accessed September 29, 2023. https://journals.asianresassoc.org/index.php/ajir/article/view/1392.

Copyrights & License

Copyright (c) 2023 Gideon Qinxian Guo

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Crossref
Scopus
Google Scholar
Europe PMC

Asian Research Association is a Member of the following Organizations

ALPSP Crossref Portico
Asian Research Association