In this chapter we turn our focus to the outcome behaviors – suicidal behaviors and serious risk-taking. This research tests whether these behaviors are related to the mediating constructs in our S/RT model (Figure 8.2). One of our aims was to find whether the cognitive mediating constructs might be useful as potential indicators of a trajectory toward suicidal behavior. If we can identify common deficits in the cognition of suicidal young people, it may be possible to target preventative programs more effectively in order to remediate these deficits. The same reasoning applies to serious risk-taking behaviors. The strategy is to compare suicidal and risk-taking adolescents with each other and with a comparison group of adolescents who do not show these behaviors.

Method

PARTICIPANTS AND GROUP ALLOCATION

All participation was voluntary and all participants received 20 dollars for their time. There were no indigenous Australians in these groups. Participants in the groups were recruited from a variety of sources: through consultant referral from a hospital; through referral from social workers in Juvenile Justice; through referral from psychologists and psychiatrists in private practice; and from a shelter for homeless youth.

Adolescents were interviewed individually, and they generally completed the questionnaires in a session of 1½ hours. In the course of data collection, it became apparent that several of the adolescents were unable to read and write and could not understand the questions even when they were read to them.