Year: 1997 Source: Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, v.36, no.1, (January 1997), p.75-84 SIEC No: 20010967

This research investigates personality variables mediating suicidal behviour in psychiatrically hospitalized urban minority adolescents. 4 matched groups of 26 subjects participated: suicidal adolescents with, & suicidal adolescents without a conduct disorder; nonsuicidal adolescents with a conduct disorder diagnosis; & a nonpsychiatric control group. A conduct disorder diagnosis was related to lower modal Epigenetic Assessment Rating System scores. The Epigenetic Assessment Rating System & the Children’s Depression Inventory each identified a different subset of suicidal adolescents. Adolescents with lower modal Epigenetic Assessment Rating System scores exhibited greater reactivity to separation experiences on the Separation Anxiety Test. Relying on depressive symptomatology to identify suicidality overlooks a majority of at-risk adolescents. (48 refs.)