Dr. Donte Boyd, College of Social Work

SUMMARY

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death among U.S. males aged 18 to 25, with increasing rates and ongoing barriers to accessing care. This project utilizes the Developmental Assets Framework (DAF), a strengths-based approach that emphasizes both internal (e.g., positive identity, positive values) and external (e.g., family support, adult relationships, community values) assets, to explore how these asset constellations can protect against suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs) in young men. Additionally, the project aims to investigate how stigma influences help-seeking behaviors. The primary goals are to identify empirically derived patterns of assets, determine which specific assets are most strongly associated with suicide-related outcomes, and understand how young men leverage their assets in the face of stigma.