NCJ Number
46481
Journal
American Journal of Orthopsychiatry Volume: 44 Issue: 1 Dated: (JANUARY 1974) Pages: 43-49
Date Published
1974
Length
7 pages
Annotation
THE BACKGROUNDS OF 10 AMERICAN INDIANS WHO COMMITTED SUICIDE BEFORE THE AGE OF 25 ARE COMPARED STATISTICALLY WITH THOSE OF A MATCHED CONTROL GROUP FROM THE SAME TRIBED.
Abstract
EXTENSIVE RESEARCH ON THE TRIBAL ORIGINS AND TRADITIONS OF THE CONTROL GROUP IS PROVIDED IN THE REPORT, AND SPECIAL ATTENTION IS GIVEN TO THE SHARED EMOTIONAL SUBCULTURE IMPRESSED UPON THE YOUNG BY CHILD REARING PATTERNS AND OTHER TRADITIONAL SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS. THE DISRUPTION CAUSED IN THE SHOSHONEAN LIFESTYLE BY THE CREATION OF A RESERVATION ENVIRONMENT IS ALSO DISCUSSED. THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP IN THIS STUDY CONSISTS OF ALL KNOWN CONFIRMED SUICIDES OF INDIANS UNDER THE AGE OF 25 AT THE FORT HALL RESERVATION, FROM 1961 TO 1968 THE CONTROL GROUP WAS CHOSEN ON THE BASIS OF AGE, SEX, DEGREE OF INDIAN BLOOD, AND THE FACT OF NO KNOWN SUICIDE ATTEMPT BY THE CONTROL SUBJECT OR ANY MEMBER OF HIS NUCLEAR FAMILY. A DATA SURVEY FORM WAS DESIGNED TO COLLECT INFORMATION ON EACH SUBJECT REGARDING FAMILY BACKGROUND, HEALTH AND CLINICAL RECORDS, LAW AND ORDER RECORDS, EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND, AND PERSONAL DATA. AFTER INITIAL EXAMINATON OF THE DATA SHEETS, SOME OF THE VARIABLES WERE DISCARDED BECAUSE OF INSUFFICIENT DATA. IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS, 35 VARIABLES WERE EXAMINED IN RELATIONSHIP TO THEIR DISTRIBUTION, STANDARD DEVIATION, MEANS, AND VARIATION. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT 70 PERCENT OF THE SUBJECTS IN THE SUICIDE GROUP HAD MORE THAN ONE SIGNIFICANT CARETAKER BEFORE AGE 15 AS COMPARED TO 15 PERCENT IN THE CONTROL GROUP. FURTHER, 40 PERCENT OF THE PRIMARY CARETAKERS OF THE SUICIDE GROUP HAD FIVE OR MORE ARRESTS AS COMPARED WITH 7.5 PERCENT FOR THE CONTROL. WITHIN THE SUICIDE GROUP 50 PERCENT EXPERIENCED TWO OR MORE LOSSES BY DESERTION OR DIVORCE TO THE 10 PERCENT EXPERIENCED BY THE CONTROL. THE REMAINING VARIABLES CONSIDER THE SUBJECTS DIRECTLY. AMONG THE SUICIDE SUBJECTS 80 PERCENT HAD ONE OR MORE ARRESTS IN THE 12 MONTHS PRIOR TO THEIR DEATHS AS COMPARED WITH 27.5 PERCENT FOR THE CONROL. THE SUICIDE YOUTHS ALSO SUFFERED MORE ARRESTS IN THE YEAR OF THEIR DEATHS AND WERE FIRST ARRESTED AT A SIGNIFICANTLY EARLIER AGE. AMONG THE SUICIDE YOUTHS 60 PERCENT WERE FOUND TO HAVE ATTENDED BOARDING SCHOOL BY OR BEFORE THE NINTH GRADE AS COMPARED TO 27.5 PERCENT OF THE CONTROL. ADDITIONALLY, THE TOTAL PERCENTAGE OF SUICIDE SUBJECTS WHO ATTENDED BOARDING SCHOOL WAS 70 PERCENT, MORE THAN TWICE THE PERCENTAGE OF THE CONTROL. DISCUSSION OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THESE DATA AND SPECIFIC CONCLUSIONS ARE PROVIDED, AS ARE SELECTED REFERENCES. (KBL)