TY - JOUR
T1 - Psychosocial Correlates of Suicidal Ideation and Behavior in Adolescents and Preadolescent Children Discharged from an Emergency Department in Israel
AU - Shahnovsky, Oren
AU - Pirogovsky, Lior
AU - Toukhy, Nermin
AU - Akhavan, Shannel
AU - Grisaru Hergas, Dana
AU - Apter, Alan
AU - Haruvi-Catalan, Liat
AU - Benaroya-Milshtein, Noa
AU - Fennig, Silvana
AU - Barzilay, Shira
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 International Academy for Suicide Research.
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - Objectives: Adolescent suicidal behavior is highly prevalent in pediatric psychiatric emergency departments, and there is a growing occurrence of such behavior among preadolescent children. This study aims to examine the psychosocial factors associated with nonfatal suicidal behaviors in children (<12 years old) and adolescents (aged 12–18), to gain insight into unique and shared characteristics of suicidal behavior across these two age groups. Method: This study investigates the psychosocial characteristics associated with suicidal ideation and behaviors in an emergency department sample of 183 children and adolescents aged 7–18 years in Israel. Participants completed a diagnostic interview, and self-report and parent-report questionnaires of psychosocial measures. Cross-sectional correlational and regression analyses were used to determine significant correlates of suicidal outcomes within the two age groups. Results: Among adolescents, females exhibited a higher prevalence of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, while in children, both boys and girls showed similar rates. Depression correlated with suicidal ideation for both adolescents and children. In children, anxiety and conduct symptoms were associated with suicidal behavior, whereas in adolescents, suicidal behavior was associated with depression and anxiety. Conclusions: The present findings contribute to the growing understanding of factors associated with suicidal thoughts and behaviors among children in comparison to adolescents. These findings underscore the importance of targeting specific risk factors when developing assessment and intervention strategies tailored to the two age groups.
AB - Objectives: Adolescent suicidal behavior is highly prevalent in pediatric psychiatric emergency departments, and there is a growing occurrence of such behavior among preadolescent children. This study aims to examine the psychosocial factors associated with nonfatal suicidal behaviors in children (<12 years old) and adolescents (aged 12–18), to gain insight into unique and shared characteristics of suicidal behavior across these two age groups. Method: This study investigates the psychosocial characteristics associated with suicidal ideation and behaviors in an emergency department sample of 183 children and adolescents aged 7–18 years in Israel. Participants completed a diagnostic interview, and self-report and parent-report questionnaires of psychosocial measures. Cross-sectional correlational and regression analyses were used to determine significant correlates of suicidal outcomes within the two age groups. Results: Among adolescents, females exhibited a higher prevalence of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, while in children, both boys and girls showed similar rates. Depression correlated with suicidal ideation for both adolescents and children. In children, anxiety and conduct symptoms were associated with suicidal behavior, whereas in adolescents, suicidal behavior was associated with depression and anxiety. Conclusions: The present findings contribute to the growing understanding of factors associated with suicidal thoughts and behaviors among children in comparison to adolescents. These findings underscore the importance of targeting specific risk factors when developing assessment and intervention strategies tailored to the two age groups.
KW - Adolescents
KW - children
KW - emergency department
KW - ideation
KW - suicide attempt
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85194822123&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/13811118.2024.2358090
DO - 10.1080/13811118.2024.2358090
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85194822123
SN - 1381-1118
JO - Archives of Suicide Research
JF - Archives of Suicide Research
ER -