Suicidal Behavior Among Psychiatric Outpatient Children: an Estimate of Prevalence

The prevalence of suicidal behaviours displayed by pre-adolescent psychiatric outpatients has been estimated to range between 25% & 33% of the outpatient population. The current study assessed suicidal behaviours displayed by 40 children aged 12 & younger who were evaluated in a psychiatric outpatient service. According to the Pfeffer Spectrum of Suicidal Behavior Scale, 15% of the sample had recently engaged in some form of suicidal behaviour & almost 3% had made a serious suicide attempt.