141 - Hopefulness as a Mediator of the Association between Parenting Factors and Adolescent Suicidality and Substance Use among Legal-Involved Youth

Publication Number: 141.5297

Natalie Guerrero, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolie, IN, United States; Lauren M. O'Reilly, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, IN, United States; Trey Dellucci, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States; Casey Pederson, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States; Zachary Adams, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States; Leslie Hulvershorn, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States; Tamika Zapolski, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States; Matt Aalsma, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States

Background: Youth involved in the juvenile justice system are at an elevated risk for substance use disorders and suicidality. While parental support and monitoring are crucial in shaping these outcomes, the mechanisms underlying these relationships remain unclear.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the influence of parental support and monitoring on suicidal thoughts and behaviors, as well as substance use, and to explore whether youth hopefulness mediates these associations in a sample of legal-involved youth.

Design/Methods: We analyzed data from the Family Based Justice Improvement Project (FBJIP), focusing on 77 legal-involved youth aged 14-17. Parental support and monitoring were measured using the Parent Support Scale and Parental Monitoring Scale, respectively. Youth hopefulness was examined as a potential mediator. Linear regression models evaluated the impact of parental factors on suicidality and substance use, with mediation analysis testing the indirect effects of hopefulness. All models controlled for demographic variables including age, sex, race, ethnicity, and family income.

Results: Parental support significantly predicted reduced suicidality severity (β = -0.30, p = 0.002). Both parental support and monitoring were linked to higher youth-reported hopefulness, which was associated with lower suicidality. Mediation analysis revealed significant indirect effects of hopefulness in the relationship between parental support and suicidality (β = -0.18, SE = 1.73), as well as between parental monitoring and suicidality (β = -0.17, SE = 0.20). No significant associations were found between parenting behaviors and substance use severity.

Conclusion(s): Hopefulness may serve as a key mediator in the link between parental support, monitoring, and suicidality in legal-involved youth. These findings underscore the importance of fostering parental involvement and youth hopefulness in interventions aimed at mitigating suicidality in this vulnerable population. Further research is warranted to explore these pathways and develop targeted strategies to address disparities in mental health outcomes among legal-involved youth.