Adolescence is a critical developmental period of heightened risk for both suicide and substance use that includes multiple interactions between the brain, behavior, and social environment (Dahl, 2004) that affect maturation (Chambers et al. 2003; Dahl, 2004; Pratt, 2002; Steinberg, 2005). These interactions can occur with specific risk factors, to increase the likelihood of suicide and substance use. In this section, we highlight developmental features of adolescence, then, in the next section, discuss particular risk factors related to adolescent suicidal behavior and substance use.
