Consider Parents When Examining Suicide Risk in Kids

This article summarizes the results of a longitudinal study of 121 psychiatric inpatient children, ages 6-9. Poor social adjustment & the presence of a mood disorder were found to be the strongest predictors of a suicide attempt. After 6-8 years of follow-up, it was found that parents of children who attempt suicide had substantially higher rates of antisocial personality, assaultive behaviour, & substance abuse than those parents of children who had not attempted suicide.