According to US research, young people think that parents are rarely showing interest in their emotional happiness is more likely to think of suicide than young people think that their parents are involved.
According to the findings of the University of Cincinnati survey, the suicide rate of children in their teens has increased in the US, concerns of parents, educators, and health experts are rising.
Last month alone, a 10-year-old girl in Colorado province and a 13-year-old girl in California committed suicide. Their parents say that bullying at school contributed to the death of the girl.
"Parents ask us all the time, 'What can we do?'" said Keith King, who coordinates the University of Cincinnati's health promotion and education doctoral program.
"Kids need to know that someone's got their back, and unfortunately, many of them do not. That's a major problem."
King and his colleague Rebecca Vidourek revealed in the 2012 national survey of people over the age of 12 that there is a significant link between parental behavior and youth suicide idea.
They discovered that those most affected by parenting behavior are 12 and 13 years old.
Researchers have stated as follows. People who said their parents did not say they are proud of their children said that the possibility of thinking about suicide was nearly five times higher.
They also have nearly seven times the possibility of developing suicide attempts, and the likelihood of attempting suicide over their peers is about seven times higher.
If parents do not compliment children or do not engage in homework, suicide rates for children aged 12 to 13 are also unusually high.
Researchers acknowledge that this survey is based on the recognition of youth parents' behavior and that some parents do not agree on how children respond.
"Youth perceptions are extremely important to suicidal ideation and attempts," King said.
"Sometimes parents think they are involved, but from the perspective of the adolescent, they are not."
Some ways for parents to protect against suicide include "direct communication and direct interactions that are authoritative in nature between the parent(s) and the adolescent," he added.
Teens may also be more likely to try drugs or risky sexual behavior if parents are not adequately engaged, King said.
"A key is to ensure that children feel positively connected to their parents and family," said Vidourek, who serves as co-director of the Center for Prevention Science, along with King.
Experts say that various factors such as depression and mental health, adverse effects on social media, bullying, financial struggle, exposure to violence lead to suicide risk.
King said certain basic parental behaviors may help.
"You can tell them you're proud of them, that they did a good job, get involved with them and help them with their homework," said King.
Source:https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-12-parenting-behaviors-linked-suicide-adolescents.html
