Correlates of suicide ideation and attempts in children and adolescents with eating disorders.
This is the first study determining correlates of suicide behavior in children with eating disorders using multiple sleep, psychological, and demographic variables. Mothers rated suicide ideation and attempts in 90 children ages 7-18 with bulimia nervosa or anorexia nervosa. Suicide ideation was more prevalent in children with bulimia nervosa (43%) than children with anorexia nervosa (20%). All children with bulimia nervosa who experienced ideation attempted suicide, whereas only 3% of children with anorexia nervosa attempted suicide. Correlates of ideation were externalizing behavior problems and sleep disturbances. Correlates of attempts were bulimia nervosa, self-induced vomiting, nightmares, and physical or sexual abuse. These problems should be assessed and targeted for intervention because of their association with suicide behavior.
a Department of Psychiatry , Hershey Medical Center, Penn State College of Medicine , Hershey , Pennsylvania , USA.
Susan Dickerson
SD
Mayes
Julio
J
Fernandez-Mendoza
Raman
R
Baweja
Susan
S
Calhoun
Fauzia
F
Mahr
Richa
R
Aggarwal
Mariah
M
Arnold
D000293:Adolescent; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000453:epidemiology*; D052018:Bulimia Nervosa / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*