Adolescents and teenagers are much less likely to attempt suicide if they have a sense of "connectedness" to parents, family, or other adults, report researchers in a study in Pediatrics (2000;107:485-93).

The study showed that perceived family closeness protected against suicide attempts among black, Hispanic, and white girls and boys. Risk factors included previous suicide attempts, violence victimisation, violence perpetration, alcohol use, marijuana use, and school problems.

The authors from the University of Minnesota identified risk and protective factors for suicide attempts among 13 000 black, Hispanic, and white male and female adolescents between 1995 and 1996. Students in high school were interviewed twice, an average of 11 months apart.

One of the study's authors, Dr M D Resnick, told Reuters Health that the study affirmed the important role of parents and families, adults outside the family, and school as sources of con- nection and anchoring points in the lives of young people.

Additionally, somatic symptoms, friends' suicide attempts, use of other illicit drugs, and a history of mental health treatment predicted suicide attempts among black, Hispanic, and white women. Weapon carrying at school and same sex romantic attraction were predictive for all groups of boys. Calculating the estimated probabilities of attempting suicide for adolescents showed that the presence of three protective factors reduced the risk of a suicide attempt by 70% to 85% for each of the gender and racial and ethnic groups, including those with and without identified risk factors.

Suicide is the third leading cause of death among 15 to 25 year olds in the United States, and it is the sixth leading cause of death among 5 to 14 year olds. More than 13 out of every 100 000 teenagers took their own life in 1990.

The greatest increases in suicide rates in the previous decade were among black and other minority youths. The study also suggested that promotion of protective factors might offer an effective approach to preventing adolescent suicidal behaviour.