Self-Reported Psychopathology, Trauma Symptoms, and Emotion Coping Among Child Suicide Attempters and Ideators: An Exploratory Study of Young Children

Abstract

This study examined self-reported psychopathology, trauma symptoms, and emotion coping in 7 to 12 year old children with suicidal ideation and attempts. This study compared 70 psychiatric inpatient children with current suicidal ideation to 59 psychiatric inpatient children with recent suicide attempts on measures of depression, anxiety, anger, emotional intelligence, and family/contextual factors. Results revealed greater self-reported anger as well as psychological distress associated with traumatic experiences (dissociation, anger, depression), among children who attempted suicide, in addition to increased reports of special education utilization, when compared to ideators only. These relationships were not affected by age or gender. Overall, the findings suggest self-reports of younger children who attempt suicide share similarities with older children and adolescent attempters, when compared with ideators who do not attempt. Implications for assessment and treatment are discussed.

Keywords:

• attempters
• children
• ideators
• suicide

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mary E. Bodzy

Mary E. Bodzy, Bradley Hospital, and Steven J. Barreto, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Bradley Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.

Steven J. Barreto

Mary E. Bodzy, Bradley Hospital, and Steven J. Barreto, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Bradley Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.

Lance P. Swenson

Lance P. Swenson, Suffolk University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Gina Liguori

Gina Liguori, Bradley Hospital, and Geanina Costea, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Bradley Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.

Geanina Costea

Gina Liguori, Bradley Hospital, and Geanina Costea, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Bradley Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.