Western Kentucky University
Grade Level at Time of Presentation
Junior
Major
Psychological Sciences
Minor
Neuroscience
Institution 23-24
Western Kentucky University
Faculty Advisor/ Mentor
Dr. Amy Brausch
Department
Dept. of Psychological Sciences
Abstract
Sleep duration as a risk factor for suicide ideation and attempts in minoritized youth
Danielle L. Williams, Caitlin P. Gregory, B.S., Jenessa Canen, B.S., & Amy Brausch Ph.D.
Background and Objective: Suicide is the second leading cause of death in the United States for adolescents and poor sleep is a significant risk factor for suicide ideation and attempts. However, research shows that suicide risk factors identified in predominantly white samples of youth do not have the same association for racial minority youth; sleep may be one such factor. The current study evaluated how the association of total sleep duration with past-year suicide ideation and attempts may be different for youth from different racial backgrounds.
Methods: Data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS; CDC, 2020) were used for this study which included 13,725 high school students. The sample was 50.3% female and 49.2% male. Adolescents identified as White (48.8%), Black or African American (14.9%), Hispanic/Latinx (22.2%), and 10.9% “other.” YRBS items used to test hypotheses assessed hours of sleep per night, past-year suicide ideation (yes/no), and frequency of past-year suicide attempts.
Results: The first moderation model found that race was a significant moderator in the relationship between sleep duration and past-year suicide ideation. Simple slope analyses found the relationship to be strongest for White (b= -.38, p=<.001) and Hispanic (b= -.36, p=<.001) youth, and weakest for Black youth (b= -.14, p =.001). The second model found that race also moderated the relationship between sleep duration and frequency of past-year suicide attempts. Simple slope analyses found the relationship was weakest for Black youth (b= -.025, p=.03) compared to youth from other racial groups; the strongest relationship was found for White youth (b= -.053, p<.001). Interestingly, Black youth reported the least amount of sleep, the lowest prevalence of suicide ideation (17.7%), but the highest rates of suicide attempts (14.6%).
Conclusion: Future research should examine all possible suicide risk factors for minoritized youth to illuminate our understanding of increasing suicide rates.
Included in
Sleep duration as a risk factor for suicide ideation and attempts in minoritized youth
Sleep duration as a risk factor for suicide ideation and attempts in minoritized youth
Danielle L. Williams, Caitlin P. Gregory, B.S., Jenessa Canen, B.S., & Amy Brausch Ph.D.
Background and Objective: Suicide is the second leading cause of death in the United States for adolescents and poor sleep is a significant risk factor for suicide ideation and attempts. However, research shows that suicide risk factors identified in predominantly white samples of youth do not have the same association for racial minority youth; sleep may be one such factor. The current study evaluated how the association of total sleep duration with past-year suicide ideation and attempts may be different for youth from different racial backgrounds.
Methods: Data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS; CDC, 2020) were used for this study which included 13,725 high school students. The sample was 50.3% female and 49.2% male. Adolescents identified as White (48.8%), Black or African American (14.9%), Hispanic/Latinx (22.2%), and 10.9% “other.” YRBS items used to test hypotheses assessed hours of sleep per night, past-year suicide ideation (yes/no), and frequency of past-year suicide attempts.
Results: The first moderation model found that race was a significant moderator in the relationship between sleep duration and past-year suicide ideation. Simple slope analyses found the relationship to be strongest for White (b= -.38, p=<.001) and Hispanic (b= -.36, p=<.001) youth, and weakest for Black youth (b= -.14, p =.001). The second model found that race also moderated the relationship between sleep duration and frequency of past-year suicide attempts. Simple slope analyses found the relationship was weakest for Black youth (b= -.025, p=.03) compared to youth from other racial groups; the strongest relationship was found for White youth (b= -.053, p<.001). Interestingly, Black youth reported the least amount of sleep, the lowest prevalence of suicide ideation (17.7%), but the highest rates of suicide attempts (14.6%).
Conclusion: Future research should examine all possible suicide risk factors for minoritized youth to illuminate our understanding of increasing suicide rates.