title: Suicidal and self-harm behaviour associated with adolescent attention deficit hyperactivity disorder-a study in the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Suicidal behaviour, i.e. suicidal ideation and suicidal acts, as well as self-harm behaviour, are relatively common among adolescents. Depression and/or female gender seem to be risk factors for suicidal behaviour. However, the role of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in these behaviours is still unclear.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the effect of ADHD on suicidal or self-harm behaviour in adolescents from a general population sample.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample was derived from a population-based Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986 (n = 9432). Based on the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children, Present and Lifetime Version (Kiddie-SADS-PL) interview performed in a subpopulation (n = 457), the associations between suicidal behaviour and deliberate self-harm (DSH) and the diagnosis of ADHD were studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with adolescents without ADHD (n = 169), those with ADHD (n = 104) had more suicidal ideation (57% vs. 28%, P < 0.001) and DSH (69% vs. 32%, P < 0.001). In binary logistic models, the effect of ADHD on suicidal ideation remained strong (OR = 6.1) after controlling for several other predictors. Other contributing factors in suicidal behaviour included female gender, childhood emotional and behavioural problems, concurrent depression and anxiety, and, specifically in DSH, behavioural disorder, substance abuse and strains in family relations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ADHD is a risk factor for suicidal ideation and DSH. These findings in a general population sample speak for a need to target mental health interventions at children and adolescents with relevant symptoms of ADHD.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health Sciences, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland. tuula.hurtig@oulu.fi
authors.forename: Tuula
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hurtig
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taanila
authors.forename: Irma
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Moilanen
authors.forename: Tanja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nordström
authors.forename: Hanna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ebeling
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012307:Risk Factors; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D012737:Sex Factors; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013406:Suicide, Attempted