Risk factors and characteristics of suicide attempts among 381 suicidal adolescents

Rikke Lindgaard Hedeland, Grete Teilmann, Marianne Hørby Jørgensen, Line Rejkjaer Thiesen, Jesper Andersen, Study-Associated Pediatric Departments

7 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Aim: This study explored the relationships between suicidal adolescents and their parents, siblings and friends. It examined how much adolescents talked to their parents before suicide attempts, the frequency of self-mutilation, the extent of suicidal ideation, previous suicide attempts and suicide attempts in the adolescent's surroundings. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional case–control study that focused on 381 adolescents aged 10–17 years who were admitted to hospitals across Denmark after suicide attempts with acetaminophen and 296 age- and gender-matched controls recruited from schools. The study used questionnaires and medical and child psychiatric records. Results: The study group were ten times more likely to report dissociated parental relationships than the control group (41.5% versus 4%), and there were significant relationships between these reports and feelings of not being heard (p < 0.0001), dissociated relationships with friends (p < 0.0001) and siblings (p < 0.0001) and self-mutilation (p = 0.009). Almost two-thirds (62.5%) of the suicidal adolescents who tried to talk to their parents about their problems felt unheard, and there was a significant relationship between this feeling and the duration of suicidal ideation (p = 0.01) and self-mutilation (p = 0.003). Conclusion: Early risk factors for suicide were dissociated relationships with parents, siblings and friends, feeling unheard, self-mutilation and extended suicidal ideation.

Original languageEnglish
JournalActa Paediatrica
Volume105
Issue number10
Pages (from-to)1231-1238
Number of pages8
ISSN0803-5253
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Oct 2016

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Risk factors and characteristics of suicide attempts among 381 suicidal adolescents'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this