A suicide attempt (SA) is more likely to occur during adolescence than at any other time in the life course (Kessler, Borges, & Walters, 1999). SA during youth is a potent risk factor for eventual suicide (Hawton & Harriss, 2007) and indeed some experts regard it as “the single most potent risk factor for youth suicide”, p.375 (Bridge, Goldstein, & Brent, 2006). Accordingly, the prevention of suicide in youth demands a focus on the understanding and prevention of SA.
