Micronesia provides a prototypic case of adolescent suicide taking on an epidemic nature and magnitude, in the context of rapid sociocultural change within a minority population. The proposed research is designed to further an understanding of the sociocultural processes underlying this adolescent suicide epidemic, which has developed concomitantly with a complex of adolescent adaptational problems (e.g. alcohol abuse, delinquency, psychiatric disturbance). The research will explore in ethnographic perspective the sociocultural context of adolescent suicide in one Micronesian locale (Truk) which preliminary studies show to be the area with highest incidence of adolescent suicides and attempts. Building upon both sociological and psychiatric perspectives towards suicide, the ethnographic approach of this study will entail a holistic, psychosocial research strategy, in which the unit of analysis will be the community rather than suicidal individuals per se. Through this approach the aim is to carefully explore the sociocultural context, in a life-course framework, of the critical period of high suicide risk among Micronesian youth. Specifically, the study aims to: (1) identify psychosocial precursors of suicidal behavior among Micronesian adolescents; (2) interpret the social meanings associated with suicide within adolescent subculture; (3) elucidate the epidemic dynamics and collective aspects of suidical behavior; (4) further analyze previously collected case material in terms of the ethnographic data which emerge from this project. Ethnographic fieldwork in Truk will take place in three alternating phases with data analysis during the three-year project. Interphasing of analysis with fieldwork will enable the focus of data collection to move from a sociological/contextual level to a progressively more intensive and selective inquiry on an individual/psychological level, and also to benefit from further analysis of previously collected case material. Ethnographic research techniques and more structured methods will be applied towards situational analysis of problematic events and role contexts for adolescents, to achieve a holistic understanding of linkages between sociocultural variables and adolescent suicide among Micronesians, and perhaps, related minorities.
