Connectedness and suicidal ideation among adolescents involved with child welfare: A national survey

Using data from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being, this study examined the relationship between connectedness in major social domains (i.e., caregiver, peers, deviant peers, and school) and suicidal ideation among adolescents (11-17 years old) investigated by child welfare agencies (N = 995). Weighted logistic regression models were used to evaluate the relationships between connectedness variables and suicidal ideation, after adjusting for covariates. Youths with a stronger connection to caregivers were much less likely to report suicidal ideation, whereas youths with stronger deviant peer relationships were significantly more likely to report suicidal ideation. Significant associations found between primary caregiver and deviant peer connectedness and suicidal ideation highlight the need for attentive consideration of these relationships when working with this highly vulnerable population. Identifying domain-specific connectedness factors related to suicidal ideation presents an opportunity for the development of targeted early intervention for child welfare-involved youths.