title: Depression, aggression, and suicidal ideation in first graders: a school-based cross-sectional study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study explored the clinical characteristics and risk factors of suicidal ideation in a sample of first graders from South Korea. Children's depression and aggression and maternal depression were examined as possible risk factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study is a school-based, cross-sectional study of 5 elementary schools in Gunpo City, South Korea. Participants were 707 first graders (mean age, 6.54 years) and their mothers. We assessed children's depressive and aggressive symptoms using the Behavior Assessment System for Children-2 (BASC-2) and maternal depression using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Two items from BASC-2 and 1 item from BDI identified children's and maternal suicidal ideation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-seven (3.8%) children evidenced suicidal ideation. Children with suicidal ideation had higher mean scores of depression domain (10.11 ± 5.34 vs 4.57 ± 3.44, P < .0001) and aggression domain (7.78 ± 3.84 vs 3.80 ± 2.85, P < .0001) on BASC-2 and maternal depression (9.78 ± 6.45 vs 7.28 ± 5.38, P = .02) on BDI. In regression analysis, children's depression (odds ratio [OR], 1.19; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07-1.32; P = .001) and aggression (OR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.08-1.41; P = .002) contributed significantly to children's suicidal ideation, whereas maternal depression was not significantly related to children's suicidal ideation (OR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.92-1.06; P = .75).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated that even first graders had a considerable prevalence of suicidal ideation and that depression and aggression were associated with suicidal ideation in young children.
authors: Seoul National Hospital, Seoul 143-711, South Korea.
authors: Hye Ji
authors: HJ
authors: Min
authors: Duk-In
authors: DI
authors: Jon
authors: Myung Hun
authors: MH
authors: Jung
authors: Narei
authors: N
authors: Hong
authors: Min A
authors: MA
authors: Song
authors: Young Shin
authors: YS
authors: Kim
authors: Jill M
authors: JM
authors: Harkavy-Friedman
authors: Hyoung-June
authors: HJ
authors: Im
authors: Hyun Ju
authors: HJ
authors: Hong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012307:Risk Factors; D059020:Suicidal Ideation