Reactive aggression and suicide-related behaviors in children and adolescents: A review and preliminary meta-analysis.

The empirical literature on the association between reactive aggression and suicide‐related behaviors in children and adolescents was reviewed. A narrative review of seven studies that met inclusion/exclusion criteria is followed by a preliminary meta‐analysis to provide insight into the strength of the association between reactive aggression and suicide‐related behaviors. Each of the seven studies reported a statistically significant association between reactive aggression and suicide‐related behaviors, including suicide, nonfatal suicide attempt, and suicide ideation. Results from the meta‐analysis indicated a consistent, medium‐sized association (k = 7; N = 4,693; rbar = .25). The narrative review and results of the preliminary meta‐analysis support the promise of pursuing future research on reactive aggression and suicide‐related behaviors in children and adolescents. A theoretical model is proposed to guide the development of future research.