Date of Award
5-12-2024
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Psychology
Advisor(s)
Katherine Kidwell
Second Advisor
Kevin Antshel
Keywords
Adolescents;Body Mass Index;Perceived Closeness;Suicide
Subject Categories
Psychology | Social and Behavioral Sciences
Abstract
Research on Body Mass Index (BMI) as a predictor of adolescent suicidality has been mixed, and though some extant findings point to an association between elevated BMI and suicide, it remains unclear how suicidality differs between categorical weight groups (i.e., healthy weight, overweight, obese weight determined by BMI percentile). Adolescents with elevated BMI face disproportionate risk for social rejection and bullying, both of which predict suicidality. Thus, more information is needed regarding between-group differences in suicide-related outcomes by weight status and potential social factors that may be protective across weight groups. The present study leveraged a nationally-representative dataset to examine differences in binary suicide-related outcomes (i.e., did or did not (1) consider, (2) plan, or (3) attempt suicide in the past year) by weight group and by perceived closeness to others at school (i.e., did or did not feel close). Pearson’s Chi Square analyses and subsequent odds-ratios revealed significantly higher endorsement of suicide consideration and attempts among adolescents in the overweight and obese weight groups relative to the healthy weight group. The overweight (but not obese weight) group had significantly higher suicide planning relative to the healthy weight group. Adolescents who felt close to others had significantly lower rates of endorsement across all outcomes than those who did not feel close, regardless of weight status. These findings suggest that perceived closeness may be a targetable protective factor for interventions seeking to mitigate adolescent suicide risk across weight groups by bolstering social connection.
Access
Open Access
Recommended Citation
Milligan, Megan, "Social Closeness and Body Mass Index: Implications for Adolescent Suicide" (2024). Theses - ALL. 826.
https://surface.syr.edu/thesis/826
