Objective: To examine suicidality among urban youth and its relationship to patterns of adult support.
Methods: Study surveyed 879 adolescents. Suicide ideation and attempts, perceived adult support, family and formal network availability, and network activation were assessed.
Results: Only half of those reporting a suicide attempt had spoken with an adult about their distress. Suicide attempters were more likely than nonattempters to report they would not go to family members in the future, although they were more likely to report a past discussion.
Conclusion: Improving communication among youth, families, and service providers should be a focus of suicide prevention planning.