The Effect of Parental Abuse and Neglect on the Risk of Suicide in Adolescents: The Sequential Mediation Effect of Stress and Depression

Objectives This study was conducted to investigate the effect of parental abuse and neglect perceived by adolescents on suicide risk. In addition, tried to explore and prevent the risk factors of adolescent suicide by examining the role of perceived stress and depression in the process of parental abuse neglect affecting suicide risk. Methods This study used data from the ‘Teenage Youth Mental Health Survey’ conducted in 2021 by the Korea National Youth Policy Institute(NYPI). Statistical analysis was conducted using data from 6,689 adolescents who met the purpose of the study. Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and mediating effect verification were conducted to find out the relationship between parental abuse neglect and suicide risk. The Sequential mediating effect of perceived stress and depression was verified using SPSS Process macro. Results The research results are as follows. First, it was found that parental abuse neglect and perceived stress, depression, and suicide risk had a positive correlation. Second, it was found that depression partially mediated the relationship between parental abuse neglect and suicide risk. Third, it was found that perceived stress did not mediate the relationship between parental abuse neglect and suicide risk. Fourth, it was confirmed that perceived stress and depression have a sequential mediating effect in the relationship between parental abuse neglect and suicide risk. Conclusions The results of this study suggest that parental neglect of abuse in adolescents can increase the risk of suicide, and perceived stress and depression can sequentially mediate it. These findings can be used as data for education and research to reduce the suicide risk of adolescents and prevent suicide.