NCJ Number
220935
Journal
Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Volume: 46 Issue: 11 Dated: November 2007 Pages: 1473-1481
Date Published
November 2007
Length
9 pages
Annotation
As part of a broader prospective longitudinal population-based Dutch study, the current study examined whether childhood suicide ideation (thoughts about committing suicide) was linked with negative mental health outcomes in adulthood.
Abstract
The study found that childhood suicide ideation was highly predictive of suicide ideation in adulthood and a lifetime history of suicide attempts. Childhood suicide ideation was also associated with an increased likelihood of mood disorder and anxiety disorder in adulthood and to a lesser extent with problem behaviors. These effects decreased significantly, however, after adjusting for childhood emotional disorders and problem behaviors. The study concludes that suicide ideation in childhood may be a stable factor that carries into adulthood, along with associated mental disorders. This suggests that children whose parents report suicide ideation should receive appropriate attention with additional resources, age-appropriate intervention, and careful monitoring for mental health services into adulthood. A total of 1,022 Dutch children 11 years old or younger in 1983 were prospectively monitored for 10 to 14 years. Parent reports of suicide ideation in childhood (11 years old or younger; n=20) were examined regarding their mental health in adulthood. This was done with a structured psychiatric interview that measured self-reported suicide ideation and a history of suicide attempts, as well as mood disorder, anxiety disorder, alcohol abuse/dependence, and problem behaviors. 1 figure, 2 tables, and 41 references