annotated bibliography of new zealand research into family violence

Topic Areas: Child abuse and neglect, Suicide/self-harm, Children, Young persons, Olderpersons, Gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender people, Maori, Pacific peoples, Asian, Migrants,Refugees, Cultural factors, Mental health, Policy, Prevention/intervention/treatment,Demographics/statisticsAbstract: This report, commissioned by the Ministry of Health, presents a literature reviewof the causes and prevention of suicidal behaviours. It provides an updated and extendedreview of research that was outlined in two earlier documents: A Review of Evidence: In Ourhands: The New Zealand Youth Suicide Prevention Strategy, (Beautrais, 1998), and A Reviewof Evidence: Kia Piki te Ora o te Taitamariki: The New Zealand Youth Suicide PreventionStrategy, (Lawson-Te Aho, 1998). The aim of this report is to provide backgroundinformation to assist in developing a national suicide prevention strategy for all age groupsand populations across New Zealand. It also highlights effective intervention strategies. Thereport is presented in five parts.Part 1 examines a number of trends in suicidal behaviours in New Zealand, including timetrends, age and gender differences and suicide methods. Populations at risk of suicide are alsoconsidered, and these include youth, Maori children and youth, children in welfare care, olderpersons, and gay/lesbian/bisexual persons. In part 2, a number of risk factors for suicidalbehaviour are explored, including mental health disorders, psychological factors, genetic andbiological factors, childhood hardships, stressful life events, and social and demographicfactors. Part 3 offers a brief discussion of ‘protective factors’ in recent research in the area ofsuicidal behaviours. Part 4 of the report examines suicide as it pertains to different culturalgroups. It briefly explores the factors contributing to suicide amongst Maori, Pacific peoples,migrants, refugees, and Asian populations. Part 5 provides a summary of the main themeswhich arose from the reviews of literature in the previous four sections.Beautrais, A. L., Joyce, P. R., & Mulder, R. T. (1996). Risk factors for serious suicide attempts amongyouths aged 13 through 24 years. Journal of the American Academy of Child and AdolescentPsychiatry, 35(9), 1174-1182.See: www.nzfvc.org.nz/13067.pubTopic Areas: Suicide/self-harm, Young persons, Mental health, Demographics/statisticsAbstract: This study explored the risk factors associated with young people, aged 13 to 24years, making serious suicide attempts. The associations between selected socio-demographicfactors, childhood experiences, mental disorders, and the possibility of serious suicide attemptin young people are examined, as is the relationship between these factors and vulnerability toserious suicide attempt. One hundred and twenty-nine young people who had made serioussuicide attempts were compared with 153 randomly selected people. Semi-structuredinterviews were conducted with the aim of gaining an understanding of each participant’s lifehistory and the possible risk factors for serious suicide attempts. The factors exploredincluded childhood sexual abuse and physical abuse, and parental violence. Findings of theresearch show that negative childhood experiences can increase an individual’s risk of aserious suicide attempt.Behrnes, S. I. (1996). Evaluating the effectiveness of the pilot New Zealand Violence PreventionProject. Unpublished master’s thesis, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.See: www.nzfvc.org.nz/13178.pubTopic Areas: Perpetrators/offenders, Justice, Prevention/intervention/treatment,Demographics/statistics14