Risk and protective factors of suicide ideation and attempts among justice-involved black girls: A latent profile analysis.

Justice-involved female youth from minority racial groups are a hard-to-reach youth population that are removed from schools, families, and communities. They are under-represented in school survey data. The present study aimed to utilise the Interpersonal-Psychological Theory of Suicide to examine the distinct patterns of risk and protective factors of suicide thoughts and behaviours (STBs) among black girls in juvenile justice facilities. Utilising state-wide screening data of black girls in juvenile justice facilities ( = 1 564; mean age = 13.55 years, SD = 1.69 years) collected over 11 years (2009 to 2019), the study employed latent profile analysis to identify different profiles of risk behaviour related to suicide. The "Mclust" package, an R statistical package, was used to conduct the latent profile analysis. Six latent profiles emerged based on nine indicators of thwarted belongingness, burdensomeness, and acquired capacity. Membership in these latent groups significantly predicted lifetime and current suicide ideation and attempts. The Interpersonal-Psychological Theory of Suicide showed potential applicability to the population of justice-involved black girls. There was heterogeneity in suicide vulnerability in this population. Mental health, substance use, and traumatic experiences simultaneously characterised the suicide-vulnerable subgroups among justice-involved black girls.