Citation

Nakhid-Chatoor M. Crisis 2020; 41(1): 1-6.

Affiliation

Centre for Education Programs, University of Trinidad and Tobago, Arima, West Indies.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, International Association for Suicide Prevention, Publisher Hogrefe Publishing)

DOI

10.1027/0227-5910/a000640

PMID

31934796

Abstract

A piece of the puzzle seems to be missing. The continued push by mental health practitioners and academics against the rising rates of suicide across the globe, through research and interventions in clinics and schools, has resulted in minimal success. Despite the variance in statistics worldwide, most studies seem to point to one conclusion: That is, suicide is one of the three leading causes of death in young people and instead of decreasing, the rates are rising. According to Wasserman et al. (2015), in 2009, suicide accounted for 7.3% of all deaths in the age group 15–19 years, after road traffic accidents (11.6%), and "suicide attempts and severe suicidal ideation have potentially serious consequences, including substantial psychological effects, increased risk of subsequent suicide attempt, and death" (p. 1536). Wasserman et al. (2015) also stated that:

Research lends support to the theory that the vast proportion of psychopathological changes has its onset in childhood and adolescence…. Consequently, the prevention of suicidal behavior should be a national health priority, with the development of new, evidence-based, suicide preventive interventions. (p. 1536)

This editorial will attempt to address the piece of the puzzle that is missing, with an emphasis from a Caribbean perspective, as local and regional bodies continue to lobby for change in policies and procedures that address at-risk behaviors such as self-harm and suicide attempts in schools. The editorial will also examine attachment styles, their links to suicidal behaviors among teenage groups, and the necessity for school personnel and stakeholders to understand the developmental patterns of adolescents and the risk and protective factors associated with mental health issues, before structuring interventions that are usually done through an adult lens. How can interventions be made for adolescent students within a school setting, whose voices are rarely heard in this debate?

Language: en