Parent-Adolescent Acculturation Gap and Suicidal Ideation among Adolescents from an Emergency Department.

The objective of this article is to examine the impact of parent-adolescent acculturation gap on vulnerability to suicidal ideation among adolescents presenting to an emergency department with suicidal behavior. A multiethnic sample of adolescents (n = 43) and their parents (n = 43) completed an acculturation measure, and adolescents reported on emotion reactivity, hopelessness, depressive symptoms, and suicidal ideation. The direction of the association between suicidal ideation and vulnerability variables varied depending on the size of the acculturation gap. Emotion reactivity was more negatively associated with suicidal ideation the larger the parent-adolescent acculturation gap, while hopelessness was more strongly associated with suicidal ideation the smaller the gap, adjusting for depressive symptoms. Assessments of racial/ethnic minority adolescents at risk for suicidal behavior should address parent-adolescent acculturation gaps.