title: Emotional triggers and psychopathology associated with suicidal ideation in urban children with elevated aggressive-disruptive behavior.
abstract: 8.6% suicidal ideation (SI) was found among 349 urban 6-9 year olds in the top tercile of aggressive-disruptive behavior. SI was associated with more self-reported depression, ODD, conduct problems, and ADHD symptoms (ES 0.70-0.97) and 3.5-5 times more clinically significant symptoms. Parents rated more symptoms in older children associated with SI compared to parents of similar age children without SI, including greater somatic and behavior problems in 8-9 year olds with SI. Parent ratings did not differentiate SI and non-SI in 6-7 year olds. SI frequently co-occurred with thoughts about death. Children described anger, dysphoria and interpersonal conflict as motivators/triggers for SI and worries about safety/health as motivator/triggers for thoughts about death, suggesting that problems managing emotionally challenging situations are a specific factor in initiating SI. Universal and indicated interventions for children to strengthen emotional self-regulation and behavioral control are recommended to complement the current emphasis on suicide prevention among adolescents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA. peter_wyman@urmc.rochester.edu
authors.forename: Peter A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Wyman
authors.forename: Patricia A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Gaudieri
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schmeelk-Cone
authors.forename: Wendi
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cross
authors.forename: C Hendricks
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Luke
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sworts
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: West
authors.forename: Katharine C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Burke
authors.forename: Janaki
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nathan
mesh_terms: D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D019958:Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009518:New York; D010290:Parents; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology*; D014505:Urban Population