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Cited by 295Suicide and Self-Harm StudiesSchool Health and Nursing EducationGun Ownership and Violence Research

School connectedness and suicidal thoughts and behaviors: A systematic meta-analysis.

Open access
Marraccini, Marisa E., Brier, Zoe M. F.·2017·School Psychology Quarterly
DOI 10.1037/spq0000192PMC PMC5359058
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Abstract

Among the protective factors associated with reduced risk for suicide, scientific inquiries into school connectedness are especially important considering that schools are ideally situated to provide interventions reaching the vast majority of youth. Although there is a wealth of research that supports the association between school connectedness and reduced self-report of adolescents having a suicidal thought or making a suicide attempt, inconsistencies in the way studies have measured and operationalized school connectedness limit synthesis across findings. This meta-analytic study investigates the literature exploring associations between school connectedness and suicidal thoughts and behaviors across general and subpopulations (high risk and sexual minority youth) using a random effects model. Eligible studies examined a measure of school connectedness explicitly referred to as "school connectedness" or "connections at school" in relation to suicidal ideation or suicide attempts among youth enrolled in school (Grades 6-12). Multiple metaregression analyses were conducted to explore the influence of school connectedness measurement variation, as well as participant characteristics. Results, including 16 samples, support that higher school connectedness is associated with reduced reports of suicidal thoughts and behaviors across general (odds ratio [OR] = 0.536), high-risk (OR = 0.603), and sexual minority (OR = 0.608) adolescents. Findings are consistent when analyzed separately for suicidal ideation (OR = 0.529) and suicide attempts (OR = 0.589) and remain stable when accounting for measurement variability. Although limited by its cross-sectional nature, findings support recent calls to increase school connectedness and proffer important implications for screening and intervention efforts conducted in schools. (PsycINFO Database Record

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Crossref · 10.1037/spq0000192

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  • School connectedness is associated with reduced reports of suicide attempts in general youth (OR 0.59).

    “The review, which included ten studies with 57,637 participants, found that school connectedness is associated with reduced reports of suicide attempts in general youth (OR: 0.59).”

    From Risk and Protective Factors of Self-harm and Suicidality in Adolescents: An Umbrella Review with Meta-Analysis (2024) · cites this paper as Marraccini and Brier (2017)

    The Results (Secondary Analyses; page unavailable) report 10 studies, 57,637 participants, and an association between school connectedness and fewer reported suicide attempts (OR = 0.589). However, those 10 studies covered “any sample,” not exclusively general youth. The Discussion describes the same odds ratio as applying to general adolescent samples, but does not resolve that population discrepancy. (LLM, conf=0.85)

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  • School connectedness is a protective factor for adolescent suicidal ideation with a pooled OR of 0.53.

    “Their review found a pooled OR of 0.53, indicating that adolescents who experience school connectedness are less likely to experience suicidal ideation.”

    From Risk and Protective Factors of Self-harm and Suicidality in Adolescents: An Umbrella Review with Meta-Analysis (2024) · cites this paper as Marraccini and Brier (2017)

  • School connectedness is associated with reduced suicidality in high-risk youth (OR 0.60).

    “Findings were consistent when exploring five studies regarding suicidality in high-risk youth (OR: 0.60) and four studies examining sexual minority youth (OR: 0.61).”

    From Risk and Protective Factors of Self-harm and Suicidality in Adolescents: An Umbrella Review with Meta-Analysis (2024) · cites this paper as Marraccini and Brier (2017)

  • School connectedness is associated with reduced suicidality in sexual minority youth (OR 0.61).

    “Findings were consistent when exploring five studies regarding suicidality in high-risk youth (OR: 0.60) and four studies examining sexual minority youth (OR: 0.61).”

    From Risk and Protective Factors of Self-harm and Suicidality in Adolescents: An Umbrella Review with Meta-Analysis (2024) · cites this paper as Marraccini and Brier (2017)

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Cites

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1 of the 54 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 4

  1. Beck-Cross C Individual, family, school, And community predictors Of high school male suicidal behaviors: An analysis of 2010 Iowa Youth Survey data Doctoral dissertation 2012 Drake University Retrieved from http://www.proquest.com/products-services/dissertations/Dissertations-Abstract-International.html
  2. De Pedro KMT The role of school climate in the mental health and victimization of students in military-connected schools Doctoral dissertation 2012 Available from ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database.(UMI No. 3551471)
  3. Miller DN Child and adolescent suicidal behavior: School-based prevention, assessment, and intervention 2011 New York, NY Guilford Press
  4. White H Langman N Henderson S A school-based transition program for high-risk adolescents Psychiatriac Services 2006 57 1210 1211 16870977

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Authors
Marraccini, M. E., & Brier, Z. M. F.
Affiliations
Rhode Island Hospital (US)
ORCID
Venue
School Psychology Quarterly
Publisher
American Psychological Association (APA)
Published
2017-03
Volume
32
Issue
1
Pages
5-21
ISSN
  • 1045-3830 (ISSN-L)
  • 1939-1560
DOI
10.1037/spq0000192
PMC
PMC5359058
OpenAlex
W2579047149
Cited by
295
References
54
Citations by year
2026: 37 · 2025: 44 · 2024: 39 · 2023: 30 · 2022: 39 · 2021: 25 · 2020: 23 · 2019: 20 · 2018: 35 · 2017: 3
FWCI
27.47
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • School Psychology Quarterly (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH105379)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › Speech and Hearing › School Health and Nursing Education
  • Social Sciences › Health › Gun Ownership and Violence Research
Keywords
school connectedness, suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, adolescents, sexual minority youth, at-risk youth, protective factors, suicide prevention, school-based intervention, suicide risk screening
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adolescent Behavior, Female, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Male, Suicide, Attempted, Suicidal Ideation

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