Suicide Among Aboriginal People in Canada - Institut universitaire ...

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Chapter 31990; Chandler, 1994). This specific cognitive-development problem may be closely related to suicidality.As discussed in Chapter 4 of this report, Chandler and Lalonde (1995; 1998) have gone on to relate thiscognitive process to the impact of social and cultural changes on vulnerable individuals.These notions of self-continuity, coherence, and temporality may be culture-dependent to some degree.For example, Enns and colleagues (1997) found comparatively low levels of hopelessness in a sample ofAboriginal youth hospitalized after a suicide attempt. They suggest that Aboriginal and non-Aboriginaladolescents may conceptualize the future differently. Traditional cultural notions of cyclical time, noncompetitiveness,and respect for the land may contribute to a sense of personhood that works differentlywhen faced with challenges of competence and control.While cultural change and confrontation with the values of the dominant society have challenged Aboriginalnotions of self, identity, and temporal experience, knowledge of traditions may still provide unique resourcesfor coping if the values they are based on are embraced by individuals and communities and recognizedby the larger society. There is evidence, for example, that a non-materialistic orientation contributes topsychological well-being (Kasser, 2002). The ecocentric and relational values of some Aboriginal groupsmay be one antidote to the negative effects of the materialism fostered by consumer capitalism.The Interaction of Risk and Protective FactorsSuicide is most commonly linked to depression, hopelessness, and alcohol intoxication combined with ameans (ready availability of firearms or hanging) and an immediate precipitant (often a loss of relationshipor serious conflict). The single best predictor of a future attempt of suicide is a previous attempt. In thegeneral population, suicide attempts have been shown to be strongly associated with interacting factorssuch as depression, substance use, loss of a family member or friend to suicide, availability of firearms,female gender, and a history of physical or sexual abuse. Thus, childhood sexual abuse tends to beassociated with suicidal behaviour, but this association is mediated in part by other factors, particularlythe presence of other psychological disorders.Few studies have assessed the relative contributions of risk factors to completed suicide or suicide attemptsamong Aboriginal people. Analysis of data from the 1988 U.S. Indian Health Service Adolescent HealthSurvey identified multiple risk factors for suicide attempts. Drawing from self-report questionnairescompleted by 7,254 students in grades 6–12 on Navajo reservations, the study found that close to 15 percent of students reported a past suicide attempt and over half of these reported more than one attempt.Statistical methods (logistic regression) were used to identify the factors that independently contributedto having made a past attempt, which included: history of mental health problems (OR=3.2); having afriend who attempted suicide (2.8); weekly consumption of hard liquor (2.7); family history of suicide orsuicide attempt (2.3); poor self-perception of health (2.2); history of physical abuse (1.9); female gender(1.7); and history of sexual abuse (1.5) (Grossman, Milligan, and Deyo, 1991).Risk factors for completed and attempted suicide among Native Americans parallel those for youthin general and include: frequent interpersonal conflict; prolonged or unresolved grief; chronic familialinstability; depression; alcohol abuse or dependence; unemployment; and family history of psychiatricdisorder, particularly alcoholism, depression, and suicide (Earls, Escobar, and Manson, 1991). AmongAboriginal adolescents, suicide rates are higher for those with physical illnesses, those who have previouslyattempted suicide, those with frequent criminal justice encounters, and those who have experienced51
Chapter 3multiple home placements. However, the specific pattern of risk and protective factors vary across gender,setting, as well as communities and cultural groups (LaFromboise and Howard-Pitney, 1995; Howard-Pitney et al., 1992).Table 3-1) Protective Factors Related to Mental Health in Aboriginal Youth• good physical and mental health• self-esteem• future orientation, direction, anddetermination• family attention, support, and care• positive parental expectations• peer support• caring exhibited by other adults andcommunity leaders• positive attitudes toward school• good school performance• learning ability• coping/problem-solving skillsSources: Iarocci, Root, and Burack, in press; Pharris, Resnick, and Blum, 1997; Walker et al., 2006.None of these factors can truly be understood in isolation. They interact in complex ways to give rise tothe vicious cycles of escalation of distress and feelings of hopelessness, psychological pain, and despairthat are the most immediate cause of suicidality. Figure 3-1 depicts some of these interactions that occurover the course of the individual’s developmental trajectory and within the period of acute crisis.52
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Suicide Among Aboriginal Peoplein C
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Aboriginal Healing Foundation75 Alb
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Table of ContentsPreface...........
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Table of ContentsCultural and Lingu
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PrefaceThis report was prepared und
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GlossaryAmbivalence - Ambivalence r
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GlossaryParasuicide - Any acute, in
Page 18 and 19: Chapter 1IntroductionWhen I was 14
Page 20 and 21: Chapter 1Definitions of Suicide and
Page 22 and 23: Chapter 1Methods of Studying Suicid
Page 24 and 25: Chapter 1suicide attempts (Marttune
Page 26 and 27: Chapter 1A central problem for cros
Page 28 and 29: Chapter 2The Epidemiology of Suicid
Page 30 and 31: Chapter 2the economic status of Abo
Page 32 and 33: Chapter 2No study to date has syste
Page 34 and 35: Chapter 2Despite the overall patter
Page 36 and 37: Chapter 2Figure 2-6) Average Annual
Page 38 and 39: Chapter 2are only a portion of thos
Page 40 and 41: Chapter 2Figure 2-9) Suicide Rates
Page 42 and 43: Chapter 2Indeed, the rising rate of
Page 44 and 45: Chapter 2Figure 2-11) Number of Dea
Page 46 and 47: Chapter 2Rate per 100,000 populatio
Page 48 and 49: Chapter 2There are only a handful o
Page 50 and 51: Chapter 3Origins of Suicide: Indivi
Page 52 and 53: Chapter 3Anxiety disorders also car
Page 54 and 55: Chapter 3Many of the factors associ
Page 56 and 57: Chapter 3American Indians compared
Page 58 and 59: Chapter 3genetic and constitutional
Page 60 and 61: Chapter 3Single-parent families are
Page 62 and 63: Chapter 3Hopelessness, Problem Solv
Page 64 and 65: Chapter 3higher rates of suicidal b
Page 66 and 67: Chapter 3Physical EnvironmentSuicid
Page 70 and 71: Chapter 3Risk FactorsDepressionSubs
Page 72 and 73: Chapter 4Origins of Suicide: Social
Page 74 and 75: Chapter 4Reserves, Settlements, and
Page 76 and 77: Chapter 4Traditionalism versus accu
Page 78 and 79: Chapter 4are equivalent in seriousn
Page 80 and 81: Chapter 4society (Levy and Kunitz,
Page 82 and 83: Chapter 4those of mother and homema
Page 84 and 85: Chapter 4Duncan Campbell Scott, Dep
Page 86 and 87: Chapter 4Traditional Aboriginal com
Page 88 and 89: Chapter 4Feehan, 1996; Grant, 1996;
Page 90 and 91: Chapter 4The Child Welfare System a
Page 92 and 93: Chapter 4Aboriginal communities and
Page 94 and 95: Chapter 4had extremely high rates.
Page 96 and 97: Chapter 4Figure 4-2) Transgeneratio
Page 98 and 99: Chapter 5What Works in Suicide Prev
Page 100 and 101: Chapter 5Table 5-1) Strategies of I
Page 102 and 103: Chapter 5Effective Suicide Preventi
Page 104 and 105: Chapter 5closet rods that give way
Page 106 and 107: Chapter 5The American Indian Life S
Page 108 and 109: Chapter 51) school-based and commun
Page 110 and 111: Chapter 5reduce suicides that follo
Page 112 and 113: Chapter 5Although they may visit a
Page 114 and 115: Chapter 6Conclusion: Understanding
Page 116 and 117: Chapter 6Figure 6-1) An Integrative
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Chapter 6in large urban settings th
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Chapter 6there’s like a program s
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Chapter 6Figure 6-2) Levels of Inte
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Chapter 6Planning and CoordinationA
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Chapter 62) The response to the cri
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Chapter 6Often, suicide is a respon
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Appendix AASIST participants receiv
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Appendix AThe Training for Youth Ed
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Appendix AThe program has continued
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Appendix Awith the creation and imp
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Appendix AContact Information for R
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Appendix BAdditional Resources: Man
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Appendix BAboriginal Healing and We
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Appendix CNational Aboriginal Healt
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References——— (1987). Unravel
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ReferencesBeck, A.T., R.A. Steer, M
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ReferencesBrent, D.A., J.A. Perper,
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References——— (1995). The Pro
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ReferencesDevereux, G. (1961). Moha
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References——— (2005b). In wha
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ReferencesGardiner, H. and B. Gaida
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ReferencesGuo, B. and C. Harstall (
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ReferencesHoberman, H.M. and B.D. G
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ReferencesJong, M. (2004). Managing
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ReferencesKouri, R. (2003). Persona
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References——— (1997). Suicide
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ReferencesMatheson, L. (1996). The
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ReferencesNeimeyer, R.A., B. Fortne
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ReferencesPirkis, J.E., C.E. Irwin,
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ReferencesRutz, W. (2001). Preventi
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References——— (1992). Marriag
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ReferencesTrimble, J. and B. Medici
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ReferencesWebb, J.P. and W. Willard
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