Suicidal behavior and depression in adolescents with eating disorders.
BACKGROUND
Eating disorders are associated with an increased risk of suicide.


OBJECTIVE
To examine suicidal behavior and depression in adolescents with eating disorders, and to identify risk factors associated with suicidal ideation and attempted suicide.


METHODS
Forty-six Israeli adolescent girls with anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa completed a self-report battery at the time of assessment or treatment. Suicide attempts and suicidal ideation were investigated in relation to clinical (e.g. body mass index, purging) and psychological (e.g. body dissatisfaction) features of the eating disorders, as well as depression. Twenty-four percent of the subjects had attempted suicide, and 65% reported suicidal thoughts. Fifty-eight percent were moderately to severely depressed.


RESULTS
The risk of attempted suicide was associated with depression, a history of sexual abuse and longer duration of illness, but it was moderated by hospital treatment. Suicidal ideation was related only to depression.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study emphasize the importance of treating aggressively depression in adolescents with eating disorders. Depression seems to amplify illness severity. Currently, strategies for treating eating disorders focus more on the eating disorder behaviors and less on depression. We suggest investing more resources in detecting and treating the co-morbid depression.
Fennig
Silvana
S
Department of Psychological Medicine, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petah Tikva, Feinberg Child Study Center, and Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. silvanaf@clalit.org.il
Hadas
Arie
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D057215:Body Dysmorphic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D001828:Body Image; D015992:Body Mass Index; D052018:Bulimia Nervosa / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D015897:Comorbidity; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult