Help-seeking behaviors among a sample of urban adolescents with a history of dating violence and suicide ideations

Using data from the 2011 New York City Youth Risk Behavior Survey, this study examined professional help-seeking behaviors among an urban sample of adolescent youth with a history of dating violence and suicidal ideations. Adolescents of both genders who reported a history of dating violence (physical and sexual abuse) as well as a history of suicidal ideations (thoughts of and actual suicide attempts) were selected for this study (N = 1923). Multivariate regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between the variables. Results indicated that approximately 17% of the sample reported seeking professional help in the past 12 months, with females being more likely to seek help. Nine percent of the sample reported that they were hit or slapped by boyfriend or girlfriend in the past 12 months, and almost 7% of the sample reported sexual abuse. Implications for future research are also addressed.