Suicidal ideation and behaviors among youths in juvenile detention.
OBJECTIVE
To examine suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, lethality of suicide attempts, and the relationship between psychiatric disorder and recent attempts in newly detained juveniles.


METHODS
The sample included 1,829 juveniles, ages 10 to 18 years, sampled after intake to a detention center in Chicago. Interviewers administered the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children to assess for thoughts of death, suicidal ideation, suicide plans, lifetime suicide attempts, number of attempts, age at first attempt, attempts within the past 6 months, method of suicide attempts, and psychiatric disorder.


RESULTS
More than one third of juvenile detainees and nearly half of females had felt hopeless or thought about death in the 6 months before detention. Approximately 1 in 10 (10.3%, 95% confidence interval: 7.7%-12.8%) juvenile detainees had thought about committing suicide in the past 6 months, and 1 in 10 (11.0%, 95% confidence interval: 8.3%-13.7%) had ever attempted suicide. Recent suicide attempts were most prevalent in females and youths with major depression and generalized anxiety disorder.


CONCLUSIONS
Fewer than half of detainees with recent thoughts of suicide had told anyone about their ideation. Identifying youths at risk for suicide, especially those suffering from depressive and anxiety disorders, is a crucial step in preventing suicide.
Abram
Karen M
KM
Drs. Abram, Washburn, Teplin, and Dulcan and Ms. Choe are with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Psycho-Legal Studies Program, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine; Dr. King is a contractor with NIMH.. Electronic address: psycho-legal@northwestern.edu.
Choe
Jeanne Y
JY
Drs. Abram, Washburn, Teplin, and Dulcan and Ms. Choe are with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Psycho-Legal Studies Program, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine; Dr. King is a contractor with NIMH.
Washburn
Jason J
JJ
Drs. Abram, Washburn, Teplin, and Dulcan and Ms. Choe are with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Psycho-Legal Studies Program, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine; Dr. King is a contractor with NIMH.
Teplin
Linda A
LA
Drs. Abram, Washburn, Teplin, and Dulcan and Ms. Choe are with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Psycho-Legal Studies Program, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine; Dr. King is a contractor with NIMH.
King
Devon C
DC
Drs. Abram, Washburn, Teplin, and Dulcan and Ms. Choe are with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Psycho-Legal Studies Program, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine; Dr. King is a contractor with NIMH.
Dulcan
Mina K
MK
Drs. Abram, Washburn, Teplin, and Dulcan and Ms. Choe are with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Psycho-Legal Studies Program, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine; Dr. King is a contractor with NIMH.
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000523:psychology*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D015205:Northwestern United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology*; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000092864:Suicide Prevention