ABSTRACT
The meanings as well as the experiences of suicidal behaviour vary between adolescents and adults. As a result, social and personal factors in the causation also vary to some degree. Adolescent suicide and suicidal attempts have become a major worry for mental health practitioners, teachers, parents, and others involved with this age group. Interpersonal factors that put the individual at risk of suicide include impaired social skills and poor peer relationships. Social adjustment problems may be complicated by environmental factors such as family functioning, aggressive behaviour, conflict with and between parents, family history of distress, and psychiatric illness along with alcohol abuse, chronic physical illness in the family, and sexual abuse. Alcohol and substance abuse have been identified as risk factors for suicidal behaviour in adolescents. Suicidal ideation and suicidal attempts have been associated with alcohol and substance abuse, both alone and in combination with affective disorders.
