Effect of Violence and School Victimization on Suicidal Ideation in Mexican Adolescents

This study tests a model to predict suicidal ideation in adolescents, considering violence and school victimization, family and academic self-concept, and depressive symptoms as antecedents. 792 Mexican high school adolescents participated (49.4% women, 50.6% men) between 11 and 16 years old (M = 13.3, D.T. = 1.0), selected with a non-probabilistic sampling for convenience. The Suicidal Ideation, Violent Behavior at School, Victimization at School, Self-Concept Form-5 and CES-D scales were administered. From Structural Equation Models, the results showed that the model that best fits indicates a double relationship between school victimization and suicidal ideation: a direct and positive effect on suicidal thoughts, and, on the other hand, an indirect and negative effect through family support, and positive with depressive symptoms. Family self-concept was an important protection factor.