Literature Review
Abstract
There are many factors in the numbers of teenage suicide occurring in local areas and nationally. There are already facilities and treatment to help these bad behaved teenagers, however are they really improving the numbers in suicidal rates? There are many issues that go along with suicidal attempts and completion of them, such as economic costs, and symptoms leading to these behavioral issues. The growing problem can be prevented, and people need to be aware of the growing numbers in American Society. Following the research is also a locally owned teen center with goals to improve these teenagers lifestyles.
Troubled Teens: Literature Review
Troubled Teens: Literature Review
It has become normal that every day we hear about teenagers at school being bullied, abused, taken advantage of, or not caring to graduate. These problems not only occur in school but also at home. Problems at home, or with family leave teenagers unmotivated to do well. Teenagers see trouble around them, and adults/parents watch it happen. However there has been effort made to improve these teenagers live and giving them an option in getting help, such as the Wayside Teen Center found locally here in El Paso. There are people who either agree or disagree with the way organizations are finding ways to help troubled teens. In order to be more knowledgeable in teenage behavioral facilities, a local El Paso organization, Wayside Teen Center, preventions, and controls, the following questions will be answered:
1. What are some early symptoms to look for, leading to teenager behavioral issues,
and what are some factors that lead to suicide?
2. What does The Wayside Teen Center stand for and how do they help local teenagers handle their behavioral issues?
3. About how many teenagers commit suicide yearly, most common age, and what kinds of teens (gender, race), and are they increasing?
4. What are the economic costs in completed suicides and suicide attempts
in the El Paso County?
The following literature review will focus on these questions and will provide information and statistics of the different teenagers coming across problems and troubles.
What are some early symptoms to look for, leading to teenager behavioral issues, and what are some factors that lead to suicide?
Parents and families at home sometimes struggle with how to help their teenagers while they are going through troubling issues. According to a website called Troubled Teen 101, there are signs to look for in teens when they are starting to have a negative change in behavior. The website contains many articles relating to teen issues and mental health. However there is one specific article called “Teen Suicide: Statistics and Prevention” that helps parent in noticing negative behavior in their teens. One very important thing the article mentions is that symptoms can be mistaken for common teenage behavior such as anger, crying out, or acting up (Troubled Teen 101, 2009). Other characteristics and behaviors of teenagers leading thoughts to suicide include performing poor in school, experience violence at home, have a family history of depression or suicide, or have suffered physical abuse. Important signs that parents need to look for is if their teenager is withdrawing from regular activities and friends, is there a dramatic change in appearance, a change in eating or sleeping habits, etc. Many families and parents don’t take the time to notice these change at an early stage in their teenagers and don’t realize it could prevent them from so much. The Teen Suicide: Statistics and prevention article clearly states that “According to the National Mental Health Association, four in five teens who kill themselves have given a clear warning of their intentions” (Troubled Teen 101, 2009). It’s important for parents and families at home to understand the factors leading to teen suicide, and to look and learn for warning signs. A psychotherapist, Dr. Richard O’Conner, states that some mental disorders in teenagers, such as depression, can be difficult to recognize in young people (Troubled Teen 101, 2009). It may be challenging for adults to realize the severity that common teenage behavioral issues can lead to, but it is a serious thing no matter how harmless it may seem at the time.
Even though there are symptoms to look out for in teenage behavior, there are also several general factors that take effect in teenagers making their decision in committing suicide or an attempt to. A national survey was published in a database “Juvenile Suicide in Confinement: A National Survey” by Lindsay M. Hayes, accounting for the number in juvenile suicides, as well as background factors of those deaths. About three-quarters of suicide victims had a history of some type of substance abuse. More importantly one-third of the nations’ victims used alcohol, marijuana, or cocaine before their decision to commit suicide (L.Hayes, 2009) Among drug , a history of sexual and/or physical abuse is another factor in the suicidal numbers in teenagers. According to the Hayes (2009), more one-fourth of victims had a history of sexual abuse, and around a third with a history of physical abuse. Both of these histories were recorded with an immediate family member (such as a grandfather or father) as the attacker. Of course these aren’t the only factors in which lead teens to make the decision to take their life. However, the factors discussed are some of the leading ones, and can be prevented if the symptoms are caught beforehand.
What does The Wayside Teen Center stand for and how do they help local teenagers handle their behavioral issues?
Established in 2008, The Wayside Teen Center is a non-profit organization whose goal is to change the lives of local teenagers. The Teen Center targets young teens who’ve fallen victim to pregnancy, drugs, gangs, and/or neglect. Providing a safe place for local teens to spend their day, Wayside teaches life skills such as character building, responsibility, and introduces the belief of Jesus Christ the savior of Christianity.
Asking Wayside founder, Robert Cormell, his inspiration for local teens, he replied, “Home can be a rough place, it can be painful and a place to run from, not to. These teens are good kids, they just needed someone to care about them, give them hope for their future, and listen to them. We believe that the solution is found through a relationship with Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior” (R.Cormell, Personnel Communications, Oct.22,2011). Waysides facilities include pool, foosball, bubble hockey, basketball, board games, concerts, and special events. By providing these activities to attract local teens, Wayside hopes to give these young adults another opportunity to stay out of trouble. As stated in the Wayside website, “… most of all we are there for any young person who just wants to talk and hang out. We're there to offer guidance, a shoulder to lean on, and direction through life's storms” (Wayside Teen Center, 2009).
About how many teenagers commit suicide yearly, most common age, what kinds of
teens (gender, race), where do they mostly occur, and are the numbers increasing?
The survey database, “Juvenile Suicide in Confinement: A National Survey”, by Lindsay M.Hayes also includes surveys of the types facilities the teenagers were enrolled in when they committed suicide. According to the database, about 41.8 percent of teenager suicides occurred in secure facilities (L.Hayes, 2009).That percent accounts for almost half of the numbers in teenage suicide across the country. The numbers broken down come down to 36.7 percent in detention centers, 15.2 percent in treatment centers, and 6.3 percent in diagnostic centers (L.Hayes, 2009). The following tables show the numbers in which facilities the teenagers committed suicide along with the factors mentioned earlier in the research that led up to it.
Table 1. Suicides in Juvenile Facilities
Note. The table shows the number of suicides in different juvenile facilities with histories of substance abuse and sexual abuse. Reprinted from “Juvenile Suicide in Confinement: A National Survey”. 2009. Retrieved from http://www.lnstatistical.com/PdfMerge?id=nnzYxEMN_3P2hjRT-Fs2CKZs05iNET7tmvdJ7u2cRPJJlmHmspy0uz_btYl7dTK-oFwTEK20dxLorga2LjTl4_VkDH_xfscTwOSjCgrBGvmilbxhkjVNOPfJsLIyeWlcv0XIjL4fEsQs4XsQYdmJ_vHQhUn0REoN
The database also showed that about two-thirds of the teenage victims were Caucasian and most of them were male (L.Hayes, 2009). Taken in the national survey, it was found that the most common ages found in teen suicide were between the ages 15-17(L.Hayes, 2009).
Teenage suicide is an everyday occurring incident that has become a norm to American society. Are the numbers of teenage suicides improving, or do our local organizations need to do more? Found in the Troubled Teens 101 website, are statistics and facts to teenage suicide. In the beginning of the article the U.S. Centers for disease control says that “suicide is the third-leading cause of death among those 15 to 24 years old” (Troubled Teen 101, 2009). A couple basic other facts are that more people die from suicide than cancer or AIDS combined, girls attempt suicide at a double rate than boys, but four times as many boys as girls actually die by suicide. The article was last published in 2009 and it was last known that 5,000 American teenagers and young adults commit suicide yearly (Troubled Teen 101, 2009). However in a recent study, according to a website called Teacher Vision every year there are approximately 10 youth suicides for every 100,000 youth (Teacher Vision, 2010-2011). The statistics also state that every day there are 11 teen suicides occurring. Just like the troubled teen article, this article also gives notice that teen suicide is the third leading cause of death for teens. Which shows there really has been no improved in the last couple years in the rates of teenage suicide.
Teenage suicide rates are not only becoming a norm to American Society but to the local county here in El Paso Texas. Found in a local newspaper article in the “El Paso Times”, by the author Alejandra Matos, there are about six suicides per 100,000 people per year. Even though the rate may seem low, the suicide rate is expected to rise in the city. It is expected to rise due to the military presence and the down economy occurring (A. Matos, 2010). Teenage suicide in the El Paso county is the third leading cause of death among people ages 15 to 24 has more than doubled since the 1950s (A. Matos, 2010). The numbers are growing constantly in El Paso, as well as becoming a national issue.
What are the economic costs in completed suicides and suicide attempts
in the El Paso County?
When it comes to suicidal deaths, people don’t usually think of the economic cost of the county or city that it causes. As mentioned earlier, In El Paso Texas, the numbers of teen suicide are increasing due to down economy and military presence. If the economy is already weakened, are the costs of suicide hurting it even more? Are the people of El Paso aware of the costs? According to a database recorded by Rhonda D. Terry, called “El Paso Suicide Rates: A Cause for Alarm”, the estimated total cost of the county over three years (2004-2007) were an estimated $429,481,076 per those three years(R.Terry, 2009). That breaks it down to be an estimated $143,000,000 per each year, and almost one million dollars per suicide. The factors brought into the estimated number were age by age group, average medical cost, average cost of lost value work, and the number of suicides in the age group. Focusing on the teenage group, between the ages 15-19, the estimated cost of the El Paso County was $28,246,974 (R.Terry, 2009). Do the people of the local city really expect to see the numbers that high? Are these numbers even known to the public and shared with local teenage facilities? Another important thing to remember about these high economic costs is that it even goes into the number of those teens who attempt a suicide rather than complete it. The hospitalization costs, medical costs, and treatment costs are a factor in the total economic costs caused by local suicides.
References
Hayes, L. M. (2009). Juvenile Suicide in Confinement: A National Survey [Database]. Retrieved from http://www.lnstatistical.com/PdfMerge?id=nnzYxEMN_3P2hjRT-Fs2CKZs05iNET7tmvdJ7u2cRPJJlmHmspy0uz_btYl7dTK-oFwTEK20dxLorga2LjTl4_VkDH_xfscTwOSjCgrBGvmilbxhkjVNOPfJsLIyeWlcv0XIjL4fEsQs4XsQYdmJ_vHQhUn0REoN Matos, A. (2010, September 20). Suicide: Health Students Learn Ugly Facts. El Paso Times. Retrieved from http://www.elpasotimes.com/living/ci_16118908?IADID=Search-www.elpasotimes.com-www.elpasotimes.com
“Suicides in Juvenile Facilities.” (2009). [Table]. Juvenile Suicide in Confinement: A National Survey. Retrieved from http://www.lnstatistical.com/PdfMerge?id=nnzYxEMN_3P2hjRT-Fs2CKZs05iNET7tmvdJ7u2cRPJJlmHmspy0uz_btYl7dTK-oFwTEK20dxLorga2LjTl4_VkDH_xfscTwOSjCgrBGvmilbxhkjVNOPfJsLIyeWlcv0XIjL4fEsQs4XsQYdmJ_vHQhUn0REoN
Teacher Vision. (2010-2011). Retrieved October, 2011, from http://www.teachervision.fen.com/
Terry, R. D. (2009). El Paso County Suicide Rates: Cause for Alarm? [Data file]. Retrieved from http://www.aspenpointe.org/viewfile/Njg= Troubled Teen 101. (2009). Retrieved October, 2011, from http://www.troubledteen101.com/articles32.html
Wayside Teen Center. (2009). Retrieved October, 2011, from http://www.waysideteen.com/home.htm
