Vulnerability Index
Number of adolescents, ages 10-18, in the U.S., in millions:
31
Number of suicides per 100,00 teens, ages 15-19, in 1960:
3.6
Number of suicides per 100,00 teens, ages 15-19, in 1988:
11.3
Suicide rate for African-American males, ages 15-19, in 1988, per
100,000: 10
Suicide rate for white males, ages 15-19, in 1988, per 100,000:
19
Percentage of teens who have attempted suicide at least once:
6-13
Percentage of teens who have suicidal ideation or behavior:
62.6
Percentage of teenagers who are intoxicated when they commit
suicide: at least 30
Rank of suicide as cause of death among children and adolescents:
third
Rank of homicide as cause of death among all children and
adolescents in the U.S.: third
Rate of death by homicide among white men ages 15-24, per 100,000:
11.5
Rate of death by homicide among African-American men ages 15-24,
per 100,000: 101.8
Percentage of tenth graders who reported having five or more drinks
on at least one occasion during the preceding two weeks: 38
Percentage of teens who engage in heavy cigarette smoking:
12
Number of high-school seniors who report smoking marijuana every
day: 1 in 25
Increase in pregnancy rate for girts 1-14 from 1973 to 1987:
23
"Oldthink" explanation why adolescents get into trouble: they
misunderstand risk and perceive themselves as invulnerable
New fact: Perception of invulnerability is no greater for
adolescents than for adults; both see teens as more vulnerable than
adults
Number of teens age 11-18 who are homeless, in millions: 1.5
Number of adolescents with diagnosable mental disorder: 1 in
5
Factor most consistently identified as risk for adolescent
depression: having depressed parents
Number of teens age 10- 18 without health insurance coverage: 1 in
7
"Oldthink" reason adolescence marks the beginning of a downward
spiral for many individuals: intrapsychic upheaval
"Newthink" reason: failure of the social environment to provide
needed close relationships with adults outside the house; inattention to
actual problems by adults in mistaken belief that teens outgrow
them
Source: American Psychologist (Vol. 48, No. 2)
Tags:
adolescent,
adolescent depression,
african american males,
african american men,
cigarette smoking,
depressed parents,
diagnosable mental disorder,
drug,
health insurance coverage,
high school seniors,
homicide,
index number,
invulnerability,
males ages,
men ages,
pregnancy rate,
smoke,
smoking marijuana,
suicidal ideation,
suicide,
suicide rate,
vulnerability index,
white men
