Communication with father and mother differently impacts suicidal behaviour

Background: Positive relationships with parents can reduce the risk of suicidal behaviour in adolescents. Previous research has indicated that adolescents who report poor communication with their parents are more likely to display suicidal behaviour. The aim of this study is to find out whether communication with the father or mother is equally important for suicidal behaviour.
Methods: A total of 5595 students aged from 12 to 18 years old in secondary school participated in the 2014 HBSC Luxembourg survey. They responded to a questionnaire including, among others: 4 questions regarding sadness, suicide ideation, planning and attempt, and 2 questions about ease of communication with their father and mother.
Findings: Adolescents who indicate poorer communication with their mother or father have higher odds for all suicidal behaviours. Poor communication with fathers has a bigger influence on the odds for sadness, whereas poor communication with mothers has a bigger influence on the odds for attempted suicide. Lastly, adolescents who don`t have or don`t see their mother or father are at increased risk for the suicidal behaviours, although the odds are not as high as for those indicating very difficult communication with their parent(s).
Discussion: The Luxembourgish findings confirm the results of previous research and go further showing that, as a determinant, communication with mother differs from the communication with father. More studies should confirm these findings and include other variables, such as social support and stress, in order to see their relation with the communication with both parental figures and suicidal behaviours.