*Suicide risk factors, *Indigenous children, *Risk assessment, *Cross-sectional method, *Statistical correlation, *Criticism, *Suicidal ideation, *Parent-child relationships, *Statistical sampling, *Family relations, *Descriptive statistics, *Teenagers' conduct of life, *Research methodology, *Research, *Punishment, *Psychosocial factors, *Child behavior, *Caregiver attitudes

Suicide among indigenous children and adolescents poses a particularly challenging public health issue for Western healthcare systems. The aim of this study was to identify psychological factors and parent/caregiver attachment-related factors associated with suicide risk in indigenous children and adolescents. A correlational cross-sectional study was conducted, involving 399 children and adolescents and their families from four indigenous communities, with a mean age of 11.93 years. 89% of children and adolescents were found to have some level of self-reported suicide risk, with parents identifying this risk in 21.1% of children and youth. The risk was found to be associated with perceived criticism by caregivers, the use of physical punishment, and the identification of feelings of worthlessness. In addition to highlighting high indicators of suicide risk in the studied population, this study concludes that indicators of distress in children and adolescents are associated with disruptions in the perception of relationships with their parents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Journal of Mental Health is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)