Family environment, depression, attitudes toward life and death, and suicidality in young adults

To examine the correlates of suicidality, 282 young adults at a medium-sized southern university completed measures of depression family environment, attitudes toward life and death, and suicidality. Family cohesion accounted for 14.6% of the variance in suicidality, while repulsion by death and attraction to life accounted for an additional 1.3% and 1.4% of the variance in suicidality respectively. Suicidality was higher for young adults who reported less cohesion, less repulsion by death, and less attraction to life. Depression accounted for no significant variance in suicidality. High suicidality (n = 38) was not significantly correlated with attitudes toward life and death, family environment, or depression. However, low suicidality (n = 132) was significantly negatively correlated with family cohesion and adaptability Results suggest that interventions focused on the family particularly those designed to facilitate and heal family interactions, night lessen the likelihood that young adults who are experiencing this type of distress will think of suicide as an option.