Primary Submission Category: Mental health/function
“These experiences kill you emotionally”: Examining the Interconnectedness of Suicidal Ideation, Emerging Adulthood, and Race
Authors: Kaleea Lewis,
Presenting Author: Kaleea Lewis*
Emerging adults (18-25) endorse the highest rates of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, which is a significant predictor of future suicide attempts and completion. Suicide is the third leading cause of death for Black emerging adults living in Missouri. Despite major advances in research investigating risk factors for suicidal ideation, targeted work focusing on Black emerging adults is limited and existing scholarship rarely questions the role of racism and reasons why Black emerging adults may engage in suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Using qualitative methods, this study intends to expand current knowledge by exploring Black emerging adults’ (1) thoughts and beliefs about suicide and suicidal ideation and (2) perceptions of, at the intersections of race and developmental stage, the increasing rates of suicide occurring among Black emerging adults.
In-depth interviews were conducted with 30 self-identified Black emerging adults residing in Kansas City, Missouri. Interviews explored participants’ (1) experiences of obstructed use and suicidal ideation and (2) how they make meaning of the way structural racism impacts this relationship. Interview data were transcribed verbatim and thematic analysis guided data analysis.
Rich narratives detailing how the participant’s conceptualized suicide and the intersections of suicidality, emerging adulthood, and Blackness spanned across the interviews. Candid conservations surrounding personal and/or familial experiences of suicidal ideation and suicide emerged within the interviews (theme 1). Their shared lived experiences also revealed the structural and cultural factors they believe influence and/or increase Black emerging adults’ likelihood of engaging in suicidal ideation (theme 2). Study findings expose how cultural nuances surrounding suicidal ideation and suicide shape Black emerging adults’ knowledge about suicide and provide racial equity focused data that can aid in suicide prevention efforts.