
Family Plays a Role in Suicidal Ideation in Children
While many think there is no need to discuss suicidal thoughts before adolescence, new research shows that clearly is not true.
NEWS BRIEF
New research shows a disruptive or negligent household can generate suicidal thoughts in young children, according to a cross-sectional
Young people are vulnerable to suicide with rates steadily rising over the past 3 decades and
After accounting for clinical sociodemographic and variables, oppositional family relationships and lack of supervision emerged from self-reports as negative factors that affected children. The researchers reported: “High family conflict was significantly associated with suicidal ideation (odds ratio [OR], 1.12; 95% CI, 1.07-1.16) and nonsuicidal self-injury (OR, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.05-1.14), and low parental monitoring was significantly associated with ideation (OR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.95-0.98), attempts (OR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.86-0.97), and nonsuicidal self-injury (OR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.93-0.98).”
One take-home from this study is the need to better educate parents and those who work with children about suicidal ideation. While many think there is no need to discuss suicidal thoughts before adolescence, this research shows that clearly is not true. The researchers
Future studies on how the family affects children’s mental health are needed to predict and thwart suicide and self-harm.
References:
1. DeVille DC, Whalen D3, Breslin FJ, et al. Prevalence and Family-Related Factors Associated With Suicidal Ideation, Suicide Attempts, and Self-injury in Children Aged 9 to 10 Years. JAMA Netw Open. 2020 Feb 5;3(2):e1920956.
2. Curtin SC, Heron M.
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. WISQARS Leading Causes of Death Reports, 1981 – 2017.
4.
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