“You are the Father”: Investigating the Relationship Between Adolescent Fatherhood and Suicide Attempt

Pregnancy rates among adolescents have declined in the United States since the early 1990s. Despite the steady decline, adolescent pregnancy and parenthood remain risk factors for negative outcomes associated with youth development, education, and behavioral health. To date, most research on adolescent parenthood has focused heavily on the challenges faced by adolescent mothers, while rarely examining the adverse effects of parenthood for adolescent fathers. Early childbearing is a stressful experience that may increase the risk of negative mental health outcomes for young fathers, including suicidal behaviors. Using an all-male sample of adolescents (<i>N</i> = 6,588) from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), this study investigates the relationship between adolescent fatherhood and suicide attempt. Findings from logistic regression analysis show that adolescent fathers' odds of reporting a suicide attempt was 4.5 times greater than non-father adolescents. This empirical finding has important implications for youth development, suicide prevention, and future research.