Manifestations of suicidal behavior among minors in the context of urban environment (based on the materials of Ulan-Ude)

The subject of this research is the social factors of suicidal behavior among minors in the urban environment. The author sets the goal to reveal the regional specificity of social factors that define the manifestation of suicidal behavior of minors in Ulan-Ude; and for this purpose, develops and tests the sociological methodology for the studying suicidal behavior among school students aged 12-17 in Ulan-Ude. The research results are based on the sociological survey of school students, expert survey of the personnel of public educational institutions, analysis of Rosstat official statistical information, as well as analysis of the documents of public educational institutions. The article demonstrates the clear correlations between the low standard of living of the population of the region, financial situation and the well-being of the family and the suicide risk among minors. The methodology of systemic analysis allowed determining most significant social factors of suicidal behavior and revealing the regional specificity of manifestations of suicidal behavior of minors. The novelty of this work consists in the comprehensive analysis and processing of empirical data of the sociological survey conducted by the author. The acquired results have social and applied value, and can be used by educational institutions and state authorities in assessing the risks of suicidal behavior among minors, as well as in developing the programs aimed at prevention of escalation of suicidal behavior. It is established that the manifestations of suicidal behavior among minors in the urban environment are substantiated by socioeconomic problems, low material wealth of the population, unemployment of parents, living in low-income and single-parent families, migration of the population of rural areas to the city, overall social ill-being.