Hostility and Suicidal Risk Factors in Teenagers

Hostility correlates with suicidal behavior in teenagers and can serve as a self-harm risk marker. Suicidal risk may depend on hostility level while hostility may be associated with different factors of suicidal risk. In this study, the level of hostility was measured using W. Cook and D. Medley’s Hostility Scale (adapted by L. N. Sobchik). The severity of suicidal risk factors was defined with the help of A. G. Shmelev’s Suicidal Risk Questionnaire (modified by T. N. Razuvaeva). The comparative analysis of suicidal risks across groups with different hostility levels relied on the Mann–Whitney U-test. The Spearman’s correlation analysis revealed the levels of hostility and suicidal risk factors. The study involved students of the Rostov Trade and Economic College (n = 91; 16–17 y.o.). The research revealed significant differences in the severity of four suicidal risk factors: affectivity (U = 452.000; p = 0.011), inadequacy (U = 350.500; p < 0.001), breakdown of cultural barriers (U = 500.500; p = 0.026), and temporal perspective (U = 370.000; p < 0.001). These indicators were most prominent in adolescents with moderate but growing hostility. The level of hostility positively correlated with such factors of suicidal risk as demonstrativeness (r = 0.500; p < 0.001), affectivity (r = 0.395; p < 0.001), uniqueness (r = 0.318; p = 0.002), inadequacy (r = 0.510; p < 0.001), breakdown of cultural barriers (r = 0.287; p = 0.006), and temporal perspective (r = 0.538; p < 0.001). The indicators of the anti-suicidal factor in both groups (with an average but decreasing hostility; with an average but growing hostility) suggested the need for psychocorrectional and preventive support.

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