Conceptions of Death and Suicide in Children Ages 6-12 and Their Implications for Suicide Prevention

Interviews were conducted with 65 children in Grades 1-5 concerning their understanding of & experiences with death & suicide. By third grade, children have an elaborate understanding of suicide, & younger children generally understand “killing oneself”, although this understanding may be immature. Children learn about suicide from television & other children & rarely discuss it with adults. The level of development of the concept of suicide relates to maturity rather than specific experiences.