Loneliness, poor ethnic identity contribute to suicide risks among Latinos: study

CHICAGO, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- When Latinos did not have a strong ethnic identity and felt lonely, they were more likely to consider ending their lives, a U.S. study found on Monday.

In the study published in Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, researchers from the University of Michigan examined how ethnic identity and hopeless/loneliness predicted suicide risk.

About 160 Latino college students, including 115 women, rated how they felt statements such as "I have a strong sense of belonging to my own ethnic group," "I am active in organizations or social groups that include mostly members of my own ethnic group," and "I have a clear sense of my ethnic background and what it means for me."

Respondents also rated their feelings of loneliness and thoughts or behaviors about suicide. The risk of suicidal behavior was high for Latinos who believed their future was hopeless as a member of their ethnic group, the study showed.

"For Latinos, feeling pride about their ethnicity might keep some from feeling lonely or depressed, which are associated with greater risk of suicide attempts," said Edward Chang, UM professor of psychology and social work.

The research also indicated that Latinos who interacted with other ethnic groups reported fewer suicidal behaviors.

"These findings suggest that for Latino students, feeling socially isolated from others is reliably associated with greater risk of suicide," said Chang, the study's lead author. Enditem